Smart Targets: The Alternative to Goals, Resolutions, and Pointless Wishing

Smart Targets: The Alternative to Goals, Resolutions, and Pointless Wishing "Goals and resolutions are a waste of time because they set us up for failure. "Smart Targets do the opposite; the set us up for multiple levels of accomplishment." --Me One of the first topics of conversation in the new year centers around resolutions for change. They come by many names; new year's resolutions, new year's goals, affirmations for change, wishes, etc. ============I have a problem with this...========= Historically, I've set New Year's Resolutions and experienced dismal results. In fact, I don't know a single person who, after making just five new year's resolutions, accomplished or kept faith with more than one of them. Why is this? Why does the process of setting goals - which is a noble human endeavor - so often meet with failure? For me, the process of setting goals is like going to the dentist; I know I need to do it, I know I'll feel guilty if I don't, but keeping my appointment usually results in pain! Goals, as traditionally set, have the same effect. I believe that the main reason for feeling so defeated when we fail to reach a goal is that with a goal, there is only one way to win. You either reach it or you don't. That is where the problem lies. ===========I'm not the only one, am I?========= Here are some the more popular approaches to goal setting: S.M.A.R.T. Goals You've probably heard about this system where each letter in the acronym stands for a separate quality; S-specific, M-measurable, A-attainable, R-realistic, T-timely. There are various versions of this including adding a terminal E-evaluate, and R-revision. This didn't work for me (even though I published an article on this in a national US educational journal in 1999) because it deals with surface issues (is the goal measurable? is it attainable?). Certainly these are important aspects to consider, but alone, they didn't get the job done for me. Nancy Morris (no relation), of http://www.goalgetterkit.com/ says: "Why 'resolutions' fail (and goals for many people) is because they are not planned all the way through. SMART goals are great, but they still fall short of the simplest but most effective of formulas." Goal-Objective-Strategy Approach In this method, you set a goal. Then you define an objective which describes how you will reach that goal. This is followed by a strategy that includes a step-by-step process of reaching the objective. I've actually used this approach but found that my experience again was a superficial one. It lacked any connection with what really mattered to me most of all. An Eastern Approach Monica Lu, a Feng Shui practitioner with White Tiger Designs, LLC, suggests the following "Write down your goal or something you want to manifest and wrap it with a piece of 100% cotton red thread. Loop the string like you're tying your shoes and then tie 9 knots. Leave it loose enough to give the string a little snap. Snap it. Place somewhere where you see it regularly. Your goal will be met." I don't have experience with this metod, but there still seems to be disconnect between thought and action. ==========The Thought-Action Disconnect============ The problem with most of the above goal setting systems is the lack of a connection between thought (goal setting) and action (goal achievement). This is the crucial difference. Unless there is continuity between thought and action, you cannot reach any goal. It's been said that you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him/her drink. Thirst be the internal motivation (thirst) that bridges the gap between thought and action. =============Brushing Your Teeth============= Take the example of brushing your teeth. You begin by setting a goal (thought): "I want to brush my teeth." That's followed by a series of tasks (action) : Open bathroom drawer. Squirt toothpaste from end of tube. Curse mid-tube squeezers in household. Put toothbrush in mouth. Brush. Rinse. Repeat at noon and night. In this example, there is continuity between thought and action. With a traditional goal setting system, your "win" is defined as 100% goal attainment. Anything less is failure. That's not a very rewarding system. In fact, it's downright self-defeating. Ralph Waldo Emerson reminds us: "The ancestor to every action is a thought." If we observe that this is true, every action originates in thought. If the thought is one that holds meaning for us beyond its superficial recitation, continuity between thought and action is encouraged. Perhaps the real reason why traditional goal setting principles fail to deliver consistent results is their lack of focus on personal meaning; simply stating generic goals won't do. ============The Connection is Meaning================== In choosing those areas on which to work, it is imperative that we make wise choices. As stated previously, generic goals - no matter how specific or timely - are invitations to a lack of progress. In choosing an area with meaning, I recommend the following: choose an area that represents a consistent problem (this will result in stronger motivation to act) choose an area that impacts others as well as yourself spend time creating a visual picture of what life will be like when this issue is no longer one that needs attention Toward this end, I recommend setting up Smart Targets. =======The Alternative to Goals: Smart Targets============ What is a Smart Target? It's a less frustrating way of achieving what you want that does not rely solely on structure. It's a method of getting what you want without feeling like it's an all or nothing quest. Instead of losing when you don't quite reach that sales goal, you can achieve a win in a variety of ways. Think about playing darts. While the best possible outcome is hitting the bull's-eye, chances are overwhelming that you're not going to hit it. Instead, it's quite possible to win a game of darts and never hit the bull's-eye. In fact it's rare that a bull's-eye is hit during a game of darts unless you're a professional or you're just spend way too much time at the pub! ==========Smart Targets & How They Work============ A smart target represents three possible ways to win while aiming for your ideal bull's-eye. The bull's eye at the center of the target represents the ideal completion of your objective. This is what you're aiming for, but a near miss still represents significant movement. The outer ring is your minimum acceptable completion. You take action and while you may not hit the bulls eye, you get enough accomplished that you still move forward and feel good about your progress. The inner ring represent points of completion somewhere between your minimum and your ideal. In other words, set yourself up to win by letting there bemore than just ONE way to win. Here's an example: Bull's-eye: Increasing my ezine list by 10,000 in 60 days Inner Ring: Reaching the 5,000 mark in 60 days Outer Ring: Adding 1,000 new subscribers in 60 days In this example hitting the bull's-eye would be phenomenal, but getting close would still feel like a win! That's the beauty of the Smart Target system. =============Setting Up Smart Targets============== I learned this system from