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Crafting a Successful Future: Mastering SMART Goal Setting to Achieve Your Dreams

Sep 26, 2023 | Business Growth, Business Owners, CEOs, Ethical Leadership, Goal Setting, Happiness, Leadership, Leadership Development, Motivation, Productivity, Strategic Planning, Uncategorized

“Begin with the end in mind.” This timeless principle, popularized by Stephen Covey, holds the key to a successful and fulfilling life. Goals, like guiding stars, illuminate our path and empower us to shape our destinies. The act of goal setting is a deliberate step towards carving out our desired future. In this journey, understanding the essence of effective goal setting and utilizing the SMART framework can be transformative.

A goal is more than a vague aspiration; it’s a written, tangible target that delineates the results or outcomes we aim to achieve. 

The acronym SMART succinctly encapsulates the attributes that render goals effective: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Bound. Let’s break down the components that shape these transformative goals.

Specific:

The specificity of a goal provides clarity that propels action. Define who is involved, what needs to be accomplished, identify the location, establish a timeframe, and outline the requirements and constraints. This precision turns vague ambitions into focused targets.

 

Measurable:

Measurement is the yardstick of progress. To make a goal measurable, identify the metrics that signify achievement. Quantify your goal by asking: how much, how many, and how will I know when it’s accomplished? Tangible metrics fuel motivation and track progress.

 

Achievable/ Attainable:

An effective goal stretches your capabilities while being within the realm of achievability. Plan steps that establish a timeframe allowing you to carry out the necessary actions. Aim high, but ensure your goal is grounded in the realities of your resources, time, and skills.

 

Relevant and Realistic:

Does your goal align with your current reality? Evaluate whether the goal serves a relevant purpose within your broader aspirations. Assess if the conditions necessary for success exist and if the goal harmonizes with your life’s overarching objectives.

 

Time Bound and Tangible:

A goal without a timeline often languishes in the realm of intentions. Establishing a deadline infuses a sense of urgency, motivation, and commitment. A tight timeline acts as a catalyst for action, propelling you forward.

 

Remember, a goal is more than a wish; it’s an intention coupled with a strategic plan. By adhering to the SMART framework, you transform aspirations into achievable milestones. As you progress, remember Covey’s timeless adage: “Begin with the end in mind.” Visualize the culmination of your efforts and harness the power of effective goal setting to craft a future of purpose, growth, and accomplishment. Your journey towards success starts with a clear vision and the determination to create it.

How to Better Understand Others

Jun 16, 2020 | Ethical Leadership, Happiness, Leadership, Leadership Development, Success

Our ability to interact effectively with other people may be the difference between success or failure. Understanding others is necessary for positive interaction and it is every bit as important on your journey toward success as personal awareness. Today, I want to give you four tips on how to gain better insight into the behavior of others and improve your relationships.

Use Introspection – Try reflecting on your professional and personal relationships and ask yourself how others perceive you. Do others see you the same way you see yourself? How would you see yourself if you were in the other person’s shoes? Be sure to answer these questions honestly. When we are willing and able to see ourselves from another’s point of view, it will likely improve our relationship with that person.

Ask Questions – If you want to find out what people expect from you – ask them. If you want to know what drives people – ask them that, too. You can use surveys or start an individual conversation with your employees and clients.

Actively Listen – When you are talking to others make sure you hear what they are really saying. Pay attention to body language and ask questions for clarification. Listen to understand, not to respond.

Assessments – You can better understand your employees by providing them with opportunities to complete assessments for personal and professional development. The TTI Talent Insights Assessment is one such tool that helps employees identify their behavior and communication style. Managers who know this information about their employees are better equipped to communicate with them which leads to increased engagement and productivity.

The old saying, “Treat people how you would like to be treated” is not always good advice. We need to treat people how they like to be treated and this differs between individuals. When we have a better understanding of why people do what they do, we can demonstrate empathy and compassion which facilitates growth individually and within the relationship.

I will be speaking for the Presence Summit, a virtual event, at 9:15 AM on July 15th. The topic of discussion is – What Type of Communicator Are You? The Presence Summit is a full day of stimulating presentations and workshops to help you AMPLIFY and SHARE your value using video communications. Click Here to find out more.

4 Things Successful People Know About Self

Jun 10, 2020 | Business Growth, Business Owners, CEOs, Ethical Leadership, Happiness, Leadership, Leadership Development, Success

Self-awareness is a critical element for success. Organizational psychologist and author, Tasha Eurich, conducted a series of surveys which found that 95% of people think they are self-aware but only 10-15% of people truly are. Successful leaders make developing self-awareness a high priority because they know that there is a direct correlation between personal growth and success in life and in business.

Phil Bonstetter and Bill Bonstetter of TTI Success Insights hosted a webinar a few years ago that highlighted the 4 things successful people know about themselves. I want to share these with you today because I believe that developing an understanding of these four things will have tremendous value in your life as they have had in mine.

  1. Successful people know how they do what they do.

Successful people are aware of their own behaviors. They understand how they make decisions and how they best receive information and are also aware of their communication style. This awareness gives people the ability to adapt to their situation which improves their relationships with others and how they interact with the environment.

  1. Successful people know WHY they do what they do. They know what motivates them and have a strong sense of purpose for their lives. A person who understands their driving forces is better able to stay focused on their goals and what really matters most in life and in business.
  2. Successful people know what they can do. Successful people know what talents, skills and abilities they possess. They are also willing to step out of their comfort zone and take advantage of opportunities to develop new skills. Successful people learn from their experiences.
  3. Successful people know where they find happiness This gives them the ability to create their own environment and not let other people shape it. They establish careers and businesses in areas that match their passions which leads to a fuller, more satisfying life.

It is often argued that the meaning of success is subjective but having knowledge of these four factors will help anyone to achieve their own definition of success.

I will be speaking for the Presence Summit, a virtual event, at 9:15 AM on July 15th. The topic of discussion is – What Type of Communicator Are You? The Presence Summit is a full day of stimulating presentations and workshops to help you AMPLIFY and SHARE your value using video communications. Click Here to find out more.

This is Your Time to Shine

Apr 14, 2020 | Business Owners, CEOs, Ethical Leadership, Leadership, Leadership Development, Success

Many of us have endured the OPEC oil crisis, hyperinflation, stagnation, Black Monday, the Asian financial crisis, the Dot.com crash, 9/11, the Gulf War, the Great Financial Crisis, and many other blows over the years and we survived and some even thrived through the mess of it all

The reality is we already have the necessary skills for dealing with scary times like this because for most of us we have already been through challenging times just starting and growing our own businesses.

We have faced all kinds of challenges on a daily basis and have grown from them. Entrepreneurs and business owners face uncertainty every day just by virtue of being who we are and how we’ve chosen to live our lives.

We are continually creating a bigger future for ourselves which gives a higher level of clarity, focus and results giving us greater confidence and capability to do it again and again.

Our future is something we always create from our imagination and now is the time to crank up our creative imagination and that of our teams to move forward. This is the time to bring your new ideas forward, to launch new goals, to be proactive, creative and resourceful.

Victor Frankl wrote, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” This is the perfect time to pull out our plan of action for the future and review and update our personal goals and business goals.

It is time to review our Strategic One Page Business plans and the ideal time to grow our mastery of key leadership skills that will help us and our teams moving forward. Now is the time to build relationships and create greater value for our employees, clients, and prospects.

Leaders, this is YOUR time to shine!

If you missed it last week, we want to share The Strategic Coach, Dan Sullivan’s “The Scary Times Success Manual” with our readers again this week. Click here (https://achievable.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Scary-Times-Success-Manual-Dan-Sullivan-The-Strategic-Coach.pdf) to download.

Why You Should Have an Others-Centered Focus

Mar 31, 2020 | Business Owners, CEOs, Ethical Leadership, Leadership, Leadership Development

Today I want to talk about how we can use our focus to create value in the challenges that we face as business leaders. Value can have many definitions but for the purpose of this post, I want you to consider the definition of value as equivalent to goodness. Good is defined by Peter Demarest of Axiogenics, LLC. as the degree to which something has all the attributes to fulfill its purpose. Thus, you are a good business leader to the degree you are able to lead yourself and others.

If what is most important to you right now is self-centered, it will be difficult to cope and adapt to obstacles. You may feel like the trouble you are facing now is a direct attack on you and your business. If you feel this way, you may want to reflect on your purpose and your organization’s purpose. Successful leaders are others-centered and their business purpose should serve the common good – family, employees, community, the world. What can you do right now to create value for others and can this be aligned with your goals? Perhaps it already is.

Look for what you can do that is good. When we focus on what is good, we develop a positive leadership attitude. How can you assist your employees? How can you continue to serve your clients and community? The answer to these questions will relieve you of the fear of uncertainty and give you direction in continuing on your journey toward success.

What Power Do Business Leaders Have Now?

Mar 25, 2020 | Business Owners, CEOs, Ethical Leadership, Leadership, Leadership Development, Motivation

The level of uncertainty in business and in life is rising in America and around the world, or is it? Did we ever really have certainty about the future? We made plans and we made contingency plans but many of us never planned for this. How can we continue to achieve our goals in business and in life? How do we begin to overcome the challenges we are facing and how do we help our employees do the same?

One quote from Napoleon Hill describes a positive perspective in answering some of these questions, Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. Some sources quote Hill replacing “benefit” with “opportunity”. What can we learn from every obstacle we are facing and are we going to allow this adversity to improve our strengths or limit us? What good can we find in this? What opportunities are being placed before us today?

You might be feeling powerless over your circumstances, but you have power over your attitude and your actions. These will determine your success or failure – that is one thing that is certain.

Attitude is the lense through which we choose to see the world. We can choose to feel overwhelmed and then become defeated or we can choose to adapt our strategy to the current environment. We can be stagnant or creative. We can stand stunned like a deer in headlights or move forward. What do you choose?

Check out our blog next week as we continue discussing positive leadership attitudes and how we can find value in adversity.