Resolutions and goals that we set ourselves are often vague – I will study more, exercise more, spend less etc. Alternatively, they might be clearer but unrealistic, for example I will give up chocolate. Setting objectives that are unachievable can result in frustration and disappointment.
Objectives should be SMART. This means:
Specific – define what you are doing and why
Measurable – how you will know it is achieved or complete
Achievable – objectives should be a stretch to achieve but must be possible
Realistic – within reasonable resources and capabilities
Time bound – an acceptable deadline for completion is specified
Businesses use objectives to define what employees should work on, and to measure how well they are doing. Because of this, objectives are important to the individual and their employer. Work based objectives should be discussed and agreed with your manager. Most learning, skills acquisition, and capability, is achieved through the work you do, so objective setting plays a key role in career development. Setting personal goals using this technique will equip you to spot poor objectives, and to adjust them so that they are SMART. This will help you to participate fully in your career development.
How to create SMART objectives
Instead of saying something vague like ‘I will study more’, try to be specific about what ‘more’ actually looks like. This includes how you will achieve ‘more’, and how you will know when you are successful. In this case, something like ‘I will spend an additional hour on Wednesdays practising example questions to achieve a better score in the end of term exam’, is a more specific objective. Is this target realistic and achievable though? Only if there actually is space on Wednesday to add in an extra hour of practising questions and only if that particular activity is going to help achieve a better performance in the exam.
Setting good objectives requires thought and preparation about what you are really trying to achieve, by when, and how you will know whether you have been successful. It is also important to set interim milestones or review points for objectives that cover an extended period. For example, ‘by end of April I will have completed at least 10 hours of extra study’. If you have not achieved a milestone then ask yourself if you need to make more of an effort to get back on track. Does the objective need revision (it wasn’t realistic)? If you complete an objective ahead of schedule then review your targets and decide what to do next. Focus on your new objective with the extra time that you have.
Setting SMART objectives adds structure to any activity. It is always satisfying to tick an item off from a to – do list, but more importantly, the process of defining your goals will encourage you to think about what it really important to you, and practical steps you can take to be successful.
