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Image: jupiterimages.comWe’ve seen how New Month’s Resolutions can help hang on to one’s resolutions. Further, in order to achieve your resolutions, we’ve also seen why you should let your resolutions rest on goals. Now, like I mentioned in my previous post, when it comes to goals, defining them properly can make all the difference between being able to accomplish them or not.
Setting goals is not as simple as it sounds. A lot of research has gone into this subject, and as far as I am aware, there is no perfect way to get this right. However, the good news is that there are some tried and tested techniques that, if followed properly, provide a basis for setting achievable goals.
First, let’s look into how we can set goals the “SMART” way. “Oh, I already know about that!” may be your first reaction if you have already come across this approach earlier. If so, let me ask you this: “How easy, or how useful, or most importantly, how smart really did you find this technique of setting goals”
A lot of people have defined the SMART acronym in a lot of different ways, with each of the letters standing for many different meanings. Many of these meanings are applicable for only specific scenarios – project management, deal closure, just to name a few.
| Letter | Meaning(s) |
|---|---|
| S | Specific, Significant, Stretching, Simple |
| M | Measurable, Meaningful, Motivational, Manageable |
| A | Attainable Appropriate, Achievable, Agreed, Assignable, Actionable, Action-oriented, Ambitious |
| R | Reliable, Relevant, Realistic, Results/Results-focused/Results-oriented, Resourced, Rewarding |
| T | Time-bound, Time-oriented, Time framed, Timed, Time-based, Time boxed, Timely, Time-specific, Timetabled, Time limited, Trackable, Tangible |
Source of the above meanings: Internet, mainly from Wikipedia.org
If you’d ask me which of the definitions I think are the most appropriate when it comes to setting goals, it would be:
| Letter | Meaning(s) |
|---|---|
| S | Specific |
| M | Measurable |
| A | Actionable |
| R | Relevant |
| T | Time-bound |
Ask me why I think any of the other meanings corresponding to any letter of the acronym is not so applicable or why I chose just these five, and I will attempt to explain my point of view in response to your comments.
But that said, over the years I have come to the conclusion that “SMART” goals are not really smart. This technique is just sophisticated enough to keep most people confused about the semantics of the acronym and, moreover, do not really help in setting effective goals. Setting “SMART” goals can be confusing, and hence, in my opinion, “SMART” goals are not a very smart way of setting goals.
Welcome to Logical Goals™
I have defined for myself a more logical way of setting goals, one that flows well, does not lead to semantics-related confusions, and makes simple sense. For the record, I’ll call it the “Logical Goals” method. There are, as of this writing, five components to the Logical approach to setting goals, as outlined below.
1. Trigger(s): The reason(s) that caused the goal to be conceptualized or drafted in the first place. This should be documented and should lay the foundation for the goal, and is needed as a constant reminder of why this goal was even conceptualized. Forgetting this could defeat the purpose of the goal as it may, over time, evolve into something else that was not originally intended. If the trigger ceases to exist, then the goal may lose purpose and might as well be abolished. The trigger thus gives direction to the goal and helps in evaluating the need for the goal over time.
2. Target: What it is that needs to be done/achieved, laid out as clearly as possible and with minimal room for ambiguity. This is the core of the goal and outlines what needs to be done in order to counter the trigger, and what it is that will deem the goal as accomplished.
3. Timeline: The targeted timeframe within which the target should be achieved. This goes on the same lines as the “T” in “SMART” goals. Having a timeline defined is important to keep a check on the progress towards accomplishing the target as well as to keep the pressure on.
4. Condition(s): One or more limitations that are placed on the goal so as not to cause new problems along the way or out of having accomplished the target. In accomplishing a target, you would need to ensure that things that are already in balance are not disturbed. You need to lay out the required conditions so that certain paths, which if taken would have a negative impact somewhere [else], are ruled out as options towards accomplishing the target.
5. Vision: The ultimate purpose and master plan that this goal will help achieve. Without a vision, a goal doesn’t have much value and is somewhat like paddling hard in the middle of the ocean without even having a clue of which direction the paddling is heading you in. Complementing the trigger that gives a reason for pursuing a goal, the vision lays out the larger purpose and dream situation that gives all the motivation to keep moving on during tough times.
As you can see, the logic behind the “Logical” approach to setting goals is simple: There is always a reason/trigger behind every conceptualized goal. Then you need to decide what it is that needs to be done and this forms the core of the goal – the target. The goal needs to be performed in a fixed period of time so as not to lose meaning, so it needs to have a timeline defined. Further, you also need to make sure you do not make things worse in the process, so you set some conditions/limitations within which to pursue the goal. And last but not the least; the goal should fit into a bigger picture, a vision that gives meaning to it all!
I hope this gives enough insight into how to go about setting well-defined goals. But that’s not the end of the process yet! After setting a goal, you should then focus on how you would like to go about achieving it. Making a plan of action is thus the next step towards achieving your goals (and thereby your resolutions), and we will look into how to go about that in my next post. Oh, by the way, it’s month-end and it’s time for New Month’s Resolutions again. Get going and revisit your resolutions, and apply the “Logical” approach to setting goals for each of your resolutions. But before you jump onto that, do drop in a comment to let me know what you think about the “Logical” approach to setting goals. Until next time, keep making progress towards achieving your goals.
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