We’re now midway through the first month of 2014. So, what have you accomplished so far? I’ve seen so many resolutions, vision boards created, goals revised and renewed, it’s been so excited getting ready for the kick off. So, how are you doing? Do you have an idea, or is it too soon to tell?

• Did you get caught up in all of the hype? Did you think the New Year excitement would carry you through? If you’ve created SMART goals, you’d have no problem answering. You would know the status of how far you’ve come and how much further you need to go to reach your goals.
• The good news is, it’s not too late to adjust. You can give yourself attainable steps so that by the middle of next month, the end of the quarter or by the end of the year, you’ll have achieved your goals.
• Let’s look at the top 3 goals so many people signed up for just 3 weeks ago:

1. Lose weight
2. Quit smoking
3. Get a new job

To help you reach your New Year’s resolution with confidence, map it with a SMART solution.

1. S – Be Specific as specific as you can. The more specific you can make it, the clearer your focus.
2. M – Have a Measurement so you can know when you reached it.
3. A – You have to make it Actionable while being attainable and realistic.
4. R – Put a little skin in the game, a good goal should have a fair amount of Risk.
5. T – Always have a Timeframe so you’ll know if you’re close to the mark or if you’ve missed it.

So, if you resolved to lose weight, here is how to apply the SMART technique:

• Goal – I want to lose weight.
  • S – I want to weigh 200 pounds; I have to lose 25 pounds.
  • M – I should lose 2 pounds per week.
  • A – I will join a weight loss program that will fit in my lifestyle. I’ll research and start by next Sunday.
  • R – If I only lose 1 pound one week, the next week I’ll have to lose 3 pounds. When I pay for the weight loss program, I will feel more accountable.
  • T – I will lose 2 pounds per week, reaching my goal of losing 25 pounds in 13 weeks.
• Goal: To quit smoking:
  • S – I must quit smoking!
  • M – I want to be smoke free; I don’t want to smoke EVER again.
  • A – When I have an urge to smoke, I will use distractive techniques. I will remind myself that I will have an urge whether I have a cigarette or not. I have to get past the urge; remind myself that it will pass, don’t smoke!
  • R – If I ever smoke again, I will donate twice my regular giving to cancer research.
  • T – I will celebrate in a special way every day that I don’t smoke for the first month. During the second and third months, I will celebrate weekly for every week I don’t smoke. For the fourth month and on-going, I will celebrate monthly. At my one year anniversary, I will have a huge celebration for my healthy lifestyle.
• Lastly, if your goal was to find a new job, you may need to break your goal up into mini goals. You could have 10 or more Specific objectives. Then, you’ll need to have measurements, actionable items, risk and timeframes for each specific objective.
• For example, the goal is ‘to get a new job’. One specific objective is to ‘update the resume’ (see below). Some other objectives for this goal could be:
  • Create a template for cover letters
  • Create saved searches for new job postings
  • Increase my network and surrounding areas
  • Actively network and increase my visibility
  • Increase my interviewing confidence
  • Bi-weekly touch bases with references
  • Practice the resignation process
  • Research negotiation skills
• Goal: I want a new job
  • S – I have to update my resume.
  • M – Update my resume within 2 weeks and send to my career coach for revisions to be completed with 48 hour turn around.
  • A – Research jobs posted on the internet for key word content to include in my resume.
  • R – Start checking in with my network, to let people know that I’m looking and share my resume.
  • T – Post my resume on job boards and social media, start applying to jobs and attend at least one networking event by the end of the month. Continue posting and participating on social media and networking events at least twice a month.

Using SMART is an easy approach and it works! If you need help sorting it out just contact me. I love helping people attain their goals; professional or personal … I’m here to help! Happy New Year 2014!