Got your inventory in hand? If you don’t know what the heck  I’m talking about, I refer you to my previous post to catch up! Ok. Now that you’ve picked some goal area in your life you’d like to continue to evolve, to build on gains you’ve already made — now what? How to dig in?

I understand the trepidation. Setting goals for the new year is tough work, and most people I know basically fail at it. Are you one of them? If yes, may I suggest that the problem lies not in your desire to change or with your motivation, but rather in your approach. Failure to hit your marks, whether perceived or actual, often results from having no plan. I’ve been coaching clients all month on setting S.M.A.R.T. goals, meaning that quality goal-setting has to be: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Time-bound. So with any goal, from weight loss to career goals, here’s how to approach:

• SPECIFIC. What’s your actual desired outcome? Get crystal clear on what you want for yourself. If the goal is fuzzy or amorphous, and you can’t wrap your head around it, how on earth will you take action?
• MEASURABLE. How will you track your progress in order to stay the course? Seeing gains as you go keeps you in the game. Schedule check-ins at the beginning so you can assess what’s working, and allow you to course correct as needed. Who in your world–friends, colleagues, spouse or partner–will you recruit to support you? Do you need to hire someone — a personal trainer, a coach, a therapist–for accountability?
• ACHIEVABLE. Don’t make your goal too big, forget it – it will never happen. The goal has to be something you can, and so will, tackle. Implement systems and structure that work for you. What will you change about what you’re currently doing?
• REALISTIC. Is making progress on a goal hinging on some resource like time ormoney you’re currently lacking? Or dependent on the actions of some other people? Wah wah, retool your goal or pick something else! Again, keep it small, make it simple.
• TIME–BOUND. Figure out and actually mark down the how and when you are fitting in action on this item. Pick a (future) completion date, and block time on your weekly and daily agendas to get it done. Be sure to keep that commitment to yourself!

What’s been working for you in terms of making change? I’d love to hear. I hope this helps you wrap your head around making manageable change so you can start your new year with a bang. I’d love to hear how this goes for you, please let me know. Meanwhile, here’s to your successful and S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting!