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WHY-SMART Goals

One of the reasons that goals or objectives do not get accomplished is that they were poorly formulated to begin with. For example, if you say "I will lose weight this year," you are pretty much doomed from the start. Instead, set up that goal in a way that meets all eight of the following WHY-SMART criteria:

Written. There is an urban legend circulating in the coaching and consulting world about a 1952 Ivy league college study. The study supposedly said 3% of that class had written and specific goals for their lives. The study "results" were that twenty years later, for the 3% group,
- Their net worth was greater than the other 97%.
- They had a lower divorce rate.
- They had a wider, more stable circle of friends.
Another often quoted study said to have been done by Harvard Business School "concluded that the 3 percent that did have written goals were earning an astounding 10 times that of the 83 percent group."

Well, neither study may have taken place, but from my own experience and that of my clients, I have found having written goals works. And they work even better when they are WHY-SMART. I wish someone would do a study!

[ Update: ThinkTQ.com 2005 Goal Study: Sample size: 32,896 ].
Harmonious. If a goal conflicts with other goals you have set, you will waste much energy and time trying to make it work. For example, let's say you want to go on a major vacation. However, the roof needs repair.
Yours. Who sets your goals for you? Your spouse or kids? Your boss or co-workers? Your clients or suppliers? If you are living someone else's dream or agenda, the associated goals are unlikely bring you satisfaction or even come to fruition.
Specific. The more you can visualize the outcome, down to the tiniest details, if necessary, the more likely the goal is to be met. Who, what, where, when, how, and why all contribute to a solid goal.
Measurable. How do you know when you have achieved your goal? Being able to measure progress of even the most intangible goal is possible.
Attainable. The goal has to be at least in the realm of possibility for you. For example, if you are currently a 50-year-old artist with no scientific background, it is unlikely that NASA would now accept you as an astronaut candidate.
Realistically high. On the other hand, setting your sights high enough to make the effort worthwhile pays off in much satisfaction, beyond the level attained just by reaching the goal.
Tangible. The more you can identify what you will see, taste, hear, feel, or smell as part of the results, the better.

A goal that is written 50% well is better than no goal at all. Give yourself permission to give it a try, and worry about fine-tuning your goals later.

Book Reviews

Million-Dollar Consulting and Value-Based Fees by Alan Weiss, published in "AIIP Connections," the newsletter of the Association of Independing Information Professionals. [ Book reviews ]
Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen, presented at the October 2006 session of the "Leaders Are Readers!" book discussion series sponsored by Western New York Chapter of PDMA. [ Book review ]
The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman, presented at the November 2006 session of the "Leaders Are Readers!" book discussion series sponsored by Western New York Chapter of PDMA. [ Book review ]
The Art of Profitability by Adrian Slywotzky. [ Book review ]

Affiliations

Resource Associates Corporation
RAC is the world class leader in the learning and development field. We are dedicated to improving the quality of lives, providing organizations with a competitive edge, while creating a better today and tomorrow.