Motivational technique based on the concept that the practice of setting specific goals enhances performance, and that setting difficult goals results in higher performance than setting easier goals. Can be guided by goalsetting criteria (or rules) such as SMART criteria. Goal setting is a major component of personaldevelopment and management literature. Studies by Edwin A. Locke and his colleagues have shown that more specific and ambitious goals lead to more performance improvement than easy or general goals. As long as the person accepts the goal, has the ability to attain it, and does not have conflicting goals, there is a positive linear relationship between goal difficulty and task performance. Goals that are deemed difficult to achieve and specific tend to increase performance more than goals that are not. A goal can become more specific through quantification or enumeration
Edwin A. Locke began to examine goal setting in the mid-1960s and continued researching goal setting for more than 30 years. Locke derived the idea for goalsetting from Aristotle's form of final causality. Aristotle speculated that purpose can cause action; thus, Locke began researching the impact goals have on human activity. Locke developed and refined his goal-setting theory in the 1960s, publishing his first article on the subject, "Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives", in 1968. This article established the positive relationship between clearly identified goals and performance.
Common personal goals include losing weight, achieving good grades, and saving money. The strategy for goal setting begins with the big picture; taking a look at the big picture before breaking it into smaller components allows one to focus on the primary goal. Once the main goal is set, breaking it up into smaller, more achievable components helps in the planning portion of setting the goal. These smaller, more obtainable objectives promote self-esteem and provide instant feedback to keep the individual on task. Time management is the practice of systematically finishing tasks assigned by superiors or one's self in an efficient and timely manner. Time management steps require identifying the objective and laying out a plan.
You could say that the whole human endeavor is geared towards setting and achieving goals. Goals are part of every aspect of life: how you conduct your relationships, what you want to achieve at work, the way you use your spare time... Everything comes down to priorities, and what you would like to accomplish in every aspect – whether you make a conscious choice or go with subconscious preferences.
Without setting goals or objectives, life becomes a series of chaotic happenings you don't control. You become the plaything of coincidence. Accomplishments like sending someone to the moon, inventing the iPod etcetera are the result of a goal that was set at some point. A vision that was charted and realised. SMART is a mnemonic acronym, giving criteria to guide in the setting of objectives, for example in project management, employeeperformance management and personal development.
SMART goal setting brings structure and tractability into your goals and objectives. Instead of vague resolutions, SMART goal setting creates verifiable trajectories towards a certain objective, with clear milestones and an estimation of the goal's attainability. Every goal or objective, from intermediary step to overarching objective, can be made S.M.A.R.T. and as such, brought closer to reality. In corporate life, SMART goal setting is one of the most effective and yet least used tools for achieving goals. Once you've charted to outlines of your project, it's time to set specific intermediary goals. With the SMART checklist, you can evaluate your objectives. SMART goal setting also creates transparency throughout the company. It clarifies the way goals came into existence, and the criteria their realization will conform to.
SMART criteria are commonly attributed to Peter Drucker's management by objectives concept. The first-known use of the term occurs in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran. The principal advantage of SMART objectives is that they are easier to understand and to know when they have been done. The November 1981 issue of Management Review contained a paper by George T. Doran called There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management's goals and objectives. It discussed the importance of objectives and the difficulty of setting them
Your goal must be clear and well defined. Vague or generalized goals are unhelpful because they don't provide sufficient direction. Remember, you need goals to show you the way. Make it as easy as you can to get where you want to go by defining precisely where you want to end up. The criterion stresses the need for a specific goal rather than a more general one. This means the goal is clear and unambiguous; without vagaries and platitudes. To make goals specific, they must tell a team exactly what's expected why it's important, who’s involved, where it's going to happen and which attributes are important. A specific goal will usually answer the five 'W' questions: Specific means precise and detailed. When you write a goal that is specific, ask yourself: WHAT are you going to do? Be clear and detailed. Well defined Clear to anyone that has a basic knowledge of the project. Instead of: "I want to be healthier." A specific goal is: "I'm going to eat at least two pieces of fruit every day."
What: What do I want to accomplish? Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal. Who: Who is involved? Where: Identify a location. Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
Include precise amounts, dates, and so on in your goals so you can measure your degree of success. If your goal is simply defined as "To reduce expenses" how will you know when you have been successful? In one month's time if you have a 1 percent reduction or in two years' time when you have a 10 percent reduction? Without a way to measure your success you miss out on the celebration that comes with knowing you have actually achieved something. The second criterion stresses the need for concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of the goal. The thought behind this is that if a goal is not measurable it is not possible to know whether a team is making progress toward successful completion. Measuring progress is supposed to help a team stay on track, reach its target dates and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs it on to continued effort required to reach the ultimate goal.
Measurable means you are able to determine or figure out that you have hit your target. When you write a goal that is measurable, ask yourself: HOW will you know when it is finished? Use numbers in your goal. Find out when you have achieved your goal Instead of: "I'm going to lose weight." A measurable goal is: "I'm going to lose 10 pounds."
Indicators should be quantifiable. A measurable goal will usually answer questions such as: How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?
Make sure that it's possible to achieve the goals you set. If you set a goal that you have no hope of achieving, you will only demoralize yourself and erode your confidence. However, resist the urge to set goals that are too easy. Accomplishing a goal that you didn't have to work hard for can be anticlimactic at best, and can also make you fear setting future goals that carry a risk of non-achievement. By setting realistic yet challenging goals, you hit the balance you need. These are the types of goals that require you to "raise the bar" and they bring the greatest personal satisfaction. The third criterion stresses the importance of goals that are realistic and also attainable. Whilst an attainable goal may stretch a team in order to achieve it, the goal is not extreme. That is, the goals are neither out of reach nor below standard performance, since these may be considered meaningless. When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. attainable goal may cause goal-setters to identify previously overlooked opportunities to bring themselves closer to the achievement of their goals.
Means it's not just a dream, but your goal is within reach. When you write a goal that is achievable, ask yourself: HOW are you going to do it? Make a plan to achieve your goal. Instead of: "I'm going to exercise." An achievable goal is: "I'm going to walk 30 minutes a day."
An achievable goal will usually answer the question How? How can the goal be accomplished? How realistic is the goal based on other constraints?
Goals should be relevant to the direction you want your life and career to take. By keeping goals aligned with this, you'll develop the focus you need to get ahead and do what you want. Set widely scattered and inconsistent goals, and you'll fritter your time – and your life – away. The fourth criterion stresses the importance of choosing goals that matter. Many times you will need support to accomplish a goal: resources, a champion voice, someone to knock down obstacles. Goals that are relevant to your boss, your team, your organization will receive that needed support. Relevant goals (when met) drive the team, department and organization forward. A goal that supports or is in alignment with other goals would be considered a relevant goal. A relevant goal can answer yes to these questions: Means it's possible to do the task within a fixed amount of time. When you write a goal that is realistic, ask yourself: Can you do this in the timeframe that you have planned? Be honest about how long it will take you to achieve your goal and how you will get it done. Instead of: "I'm going to lose 10 pounds this week." A realistic goal is: "I'm going to lose a pound and a half each week."
Does this seem worthwhile? Is this the right time? Does this match our other efforts/needs? Are you the right person? Is it applicable in the current socioeconomic environment?
You goals must have a deadline. Again, this means that you know when you can celebrate success. When you are working on a deadline, your sense of urgency increases and achievement will come that much quicker. The fifth criterion stresses the importance of grounding goals within a time-frame, giving them a target date. A commitment to a deadline helps a team focus their efforts on completion of the goal on or before the due date. This part of the SMART goal criteria is intended to prevent goals from being overtaken by the day-to-day crises that invariably arise in an organization. A timebound goal is intended to establish a sense of urgency. A time-bound goal will usually answer the questions: Time is money! Make a tentative plan of everything you do. Everybody knows that deadlines are what makes most people switch to action. So install deadlines, for yourself and your team, and go after them. Keep the timeline realistic and flexible, that way you can keep morale high. Being too stringent on the timely aspect of your goal setting can have the perverse effect of making the learning path of achieving your goals and objectives into a hellish race against time – which is most likely not how you want to achieve anything.
When? What can I do six months from now? What can I do six weeks from now? What can I do today?
A short-term goal is something you want to do soon. Short-term goals can help you make big changes. A short-term goal is something you want to do in the near future. The near future can mean today, this week, this month, or even this year. A short-term goal is something you want to accomplish soon. Something that will take you a long time to accomplish is called a long-term goal. Both long- and short-term goals can help you in your career. Short-term goals help you think about what you can do right away. Short-term goals can help you manage your time. Short-term goals might seem small, but completing them can lead to big accomplishments in your life and career.
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Show up to work on time. Restructure your priorities. Write my resume. Read more. Save up for a vacation.
A long-term goal is something you want to do in the future. Long-term goals are s. important for a successful career. A long-term goal is something you want to accomplish in the future. Long-term goals require time and planning. They are not something you can do this week or even this year. Long-term goals are usually at least several years away. Sometimes it takes many steps to complete a long-term goal. These smaller steps can be your short-term goals.Careers last your whole working life. Long-term goals help you think about the education you will need. Long-term goals help you think about jobs you want in the future. Careers take time and planning. These plans will include your long-term goals.
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Graduate from college. Have my own business. Save for retirement. Buy a house. Go back to college for masters.