For GOALS to motivate, they must be:

• S - Specific
• M - Measurable
• A - Attainable
• R - Relevant
• T - Time Specific

A Specific goal is so clear and concise that there is no room for doubt as to where you're going.

A Measurable goal has a number associated with it that can be tracked.

An Attainable goal is one that you are either equipped to accomplish now or will be equipped to accomplish in the foreseeable future.

A Relevant goal is one that truly means something to you right now and that supports your vision.

A Time Specific goal is tied to an actual time period and feels like a deadline.

In addition, I believe goals must be Compelling.  A truly compelling goal will get you out of bed in the morning and help you weather the tough times.

I also believe that goals must be Written down and physically Visible so they can become part of your subconscious.  That way you will find yourself consistently taking actions that move you toward completion of your goals.

So, how do you create S.M.A.R.T., Compelling, Written, Visible GOALS?

Now, before you jump into writing out a bunch of goals, I'd suggest you spend some time seriously evaluating what is really important to you.

Is it family, a thriving business, traveling the world, philanthropy?  Whatever it is, you need to explore it fully.

You might journal your thoughts or simply make a few notes.  Jot down why it's important, what benefits you think you'll realize, how it will impact your life.

Then put it aside for a little while and let it percolate.

When you return to it a few days later, see if it still resonates with you and remains as strong as it did when you first started exploring it.  If not, no worries.  Keep trying ideas out until you land on something really compelling.  If it does, great!  You can then begin developing it.

So, let's say your goal is: 

"I want to make lots of money this year."

Everybody's goal is to make lots of money, right?  Well if you want a fighting chance at actually achieving that goal, and in order to make this a S.M.A.R.T. goal, it needs some refining.

1. First, it needs to be more Specific.  For example, do you want the money to be gross or net?  Do you want the revenue to be sourced from a single revenue stream, like a salary or a specific product, or do you want it to be a compilation of all revenue streams in your business or household?  Spend some time refining your language and how you think about the actual goal.
2. Making a goal Measurable is one of those requirements that is often overlooked.  You say you want "to make lots of money this year."  Well, in order to make it measurable you must assign an actual number to "lots of money" and make it concrete.  So, let's use the magic $100K for your number.  There.  You now have the measurable aspect of your goal.
3. Now let's deal with whether or not your goal is Attainable.  If your revenue is $35K and you have no other sources of income, this may not be a very attainable goal.  If, however, you have just launched a new product line, or you're anticipating a significant bonus, or you have other sources of income that you're including in the $100K, or you've outsourced the work you're not very good at and you now have more time to focus on what you are good at this may indeed be an attainable goal.
4. Is your goal Relevant?  Is it something that truly has meaning to you right now?  Does it support your overall vision?  Let's say you're looking at two "great" opportunities.  This first scenario could give you a great revenue stream ("lots of money"), but it's really outside your main business focus.  It will send you down a path that perhaps you may not want to travel right now in your life.  The second is less revenue, but it's right in line with your vision and could lead to future revenue connections ("lots of money") that you would like to have in your life.  See the difference?  Make sure your goal is relevant to what you'd like to accomplish and who you'd like to be in your life.
5. Finally, you need to make the goal Time Specific.  This means it needs to be tied to an actual date.  In the original goal you wanted to make lots of money "this year."  Did you mean calendar 2010?  If so, then say so.  If you mean this fiscal year, which may run from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010, then say so.  As with quantifying your goal to make it measurable, you need to tie it to the calendar to make the goal meaningful.

So, let's take a look at your original goal: 

"I want to make lots of money this year."

After refining it to make it a S.M.A.R.T. goal, it might now read:  

"I intend to net $100K during calendar year 2011 from my combined business revenue sources, while staying aligned with my higher vision of philanthropy."

Now try this:  Read your first version of the goal out loud and pay close attention to how you feel after you read it.

Now, read the S.M.A.R.T goal and pay attention to how you feel.

Did you notice your brain immediately go to work on the S.M.A.R.T. goal trying to figure out how to make it happen?  Pretty neat, eh?  When you read the first version, there's nothing your brain can grab onto, it's too nebulous.  But the second version started the gears turning.

The final step is to make sure your goal is Written and that it is Visible. As you're probably aware, a huge majority of the really successful people in this country have their goals written down and refer to them frequently.  The reason they do this is to make those goals part of their subconscious so the goal will serve as a compass to guide their actions.  It sure is easy to lose your way when you don't have a goal to keep you on track.

So, spend some quality time working on your goals.  When you're satisfied with them, write them down, post them in a place you can see them every day and carry them with you so you can refer to them often.  Make them part of your internal compass to keep you on track and moving ahead.

Oh, and when you reach a goal, take a moment to pat yourself on the back, celebrate the achievement, then identify another bigger goal that can take it's place!

If you'd like help developing or refining your goals, contact me for assistance.

If you need an accountability partner to keep you on track toward achieving your goals, or if you'd like more personal attention, contact me and let's get started!