Setting S.M.A.R.T Goals In 2024
Author: Julianna Cooper, Challenge America Music Therapist
As we prepare for the amazing things in store this new year, many of us are setting goals and creating resolutions, particularly in the realm of our art. Each new year comes with the opportunity to try new things and enter into new possibilities - a “fresh start.” With that, however, often comes the phenomenon of setting a goal that is quickly left behind, or “breaking” a resolution that you dreamed up on December 31st.
We’ve all been there… or at least I have!
This year, I’d like to introduce the concept of S.M.A.R.T Goal Setting. Believe it or not, there is actually strategy and structure behind setting goals that actually come to fruition. This acronym has been life-changing for me in the realm of creating and working toward goals that stick.
SPECIFIC:
In order to achieve a goal, you have to know exactly what you’re working toward. For example, creating a goal to “read more” is much more vague and difficult to quantify than a goal to “read 35 books in 2024.” To create a specific goal, consider the “5 Ws:
What do I want to accomplish?
Why is this goal important?
Who is involved?
Where is it located?
Which resources or limits are involved?
MEASURABLE:
How will you know you’ve accomplished your goal if there isn’t a way to measure it? An achievable goal must be able to be seen, measured, or quantified in some manner. For example, take our book-reading goal: reading 35 books in 2024 is both specific and measurable - 35 books is a quantifiable number. It’s also a great motivator to have measurable ways to track your progress as you work on achieving your goal! The closer I get to 35 books, the more excitement and satisfaction I will feel!
A goal that is measurable should answer the following questions:
How much?
How many?
How will I know when this goal is accomplished?
ACHIEVABLE:
Creating a goal that is achievable might be the biggest key to success in the SMART acronym. How many of us have felt inspired the last few days of December, conspiring a resolution that ends up being a little (or a lot) more than we can feasibly handle? I will never forget the year that I decided to set a goal of running a marathon before the years’ end, having never run more than ½ a mile before! For some, this goal might have been achievable, but for me, it was not. An achievable goal should challenge you and stretch your abilities, but still be feasibly possible. A few questions to consider when creating an achievable goal are the following:
How can I accomplish this goal?
How realistic is this goal, based on constraints such as financial factors, schedule, or experience level?
For example, ask yourself if you have the time to complete the task. Do you have access to the necessary tools and resources to fulfill the goal? Can you afford to do it?
RELEVANT:
This step might seem insignificant, but creating a goal that matters to you is an invaluable element to consider. One question is helpful in assessing whether a goal is relevant to you or not:
Why is the result important to me?
For example, you might want to read 35 books in a year to increase your knowledge of a specific topic. You may desire to increase your reading speed or comprehension. Perhaps you’d like to improve your own writing or increase your vocabulary, or spend less time on social media. All of these answers point to this being a relevant goal, as the outcome of your reading goal would align with these broader desires. Whatever the reason may be, take a few moments to consider what is important to you in 2024. What are some broad desires you have in mind? How do the goals you have set for yourself help you get closer to these hopes?
TIME-BOUND:
Last, but certainly not least, SMART goals have target dates. Although I don’t always want to admit it, having a deadline is crucial to have something to work toward and retain my focus. When creating your 2024 goals, consider what it will take to gain the skills to achieve your goal. How long does it typically take you to read one book? Is a year a feasible amount of time for you to complete 35 books, or would 6 months be a more challenging yet reasonable goal? Breaking down your goal into a timeline is also helpful in keeping you on track throughout the year.
For example, if you’ve decided to read 35 books by the end of the year, how many would you like to have read in six months? Going even further, how many books would you like to try reading each month of the year?
S.M.A.R.T. = Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound.
What questions do you have about creating S.M.A.R.T goals?
