Blog post by Allison Hadley, Clinical Intern at Owens & Associates
In Part I of “Keep Your Goals Rolling”, we went over what S.M.A.R.T. goals are and focused on the first letter S, for specific. We explained how to make your wishes specific in order to make them distinct goals. So now that we have specific goals, we’ll get started on the second letter, M for measurable.
How do you know when you have reached your goal? That’s when you figure out how to measure
your success in achieving your goal. Will it be when you have saved a certain
amount of money? When you have hit a particular number on the weighing scale?
When you have started that new job? Maybe your goal seems harder to measure,
like wanting to strengthen your friendships, broaden your social circle, feel
more self-confident. How do you make that measurable?
Part of measuring when you have achieved your goal is learning what you need to make it happen.
If you’re wanting to find a new job, maybe that includes learning a new skill.
In losing or gaining weight, that might mean joining a support group, meeting
with a nutritionist, or taking time out for fitness. For strengthening
friendships or broadening your social life, perhaps you can measure that by talking with friends at
least once a week, or joining a mutual interest group like a recreational
sport, scrapbooking, a book club, etc.
It might also help to think of M in another way, as milestones.
You know you are reaching your destination when you go past a certain store or
landmark nearby, and just like with traveling, these milestones can help you see when you’re nearing your goal! It could
be having had at least three job interviews in three months, feeling more
proficient with a new task, having more free time for friends by a certain
time, asserting yourself with people at least x-amount of times by then, or
starting a conversation with a stranger by next month. Goals are measurable when we keep milestones in mind.
Take some time to come up with milestones so you can measure when you have reached your goal. Think of these ways you will know when your goal is completed. And remember, your counselor can help with measuring and
achieving your goals! Next time, we’ll focus on the A., Achievable.
Blog post by Allison Hadley, Clinical Intern at Owens & Associates
In Part I of “Keep Your Goals Rolling”, we went over what S.M.A.R.T. goals are and focused on the first letter S, for specific. We explained how to make your wishes specific in order to make them distinct goals. So now that we have specific goals, we’ll get started on the second letter, M for measurable.
How do you know when you have reached your goal? That’s when you figure out how to measure
your success in achieving your goal. Will it be when you have saved a certain
amount of money? When you have hit a particular number on the weighing scale?
When you have started that new job? Maybe your goal seems harder to measure,
like wanting to strengthen your friendships, broaden your social circle, feel
more self-confident. How do you make that measurable?
Part of measuring when you have achieved your goal is learning what you need to make it happen.
If you’re wanting to find a new job, maybe that includes learning a new skill.
In losing or gaining weight, that might mean joining a support group, meeting
with a nutritionist, or taking time out for fitness. For strengthening
friendships or broadening your social life, perhaps you can measure that by talking with friends at
least once a week, or joining a mutual interest group like a recreational
sport, scrapbooking, a book club, etc.
It might also help to think of M in another way, as milestones.
You know you are reaching your destination when you go past a certain store or
landmark nearby, and just like with traveling, these milestones can help you see when you’re nearing your goal! It could
be having had at least three job interviews in three months, feeling more
proficient with a new task, having more free time for friends by a certain
time, asserting yourself with people at least x-amount of times by then, or
starting a conversation with a stranger by next month. Goals are measurable when we keep milestones in mind.
Take some time to come up with milestones so you can measure
when you have reached your goal. Think of these ways you will know when your
goal is completed. And remember, your counselor can help with measuring and
achieving your goals! Next time, we’ll focus on the A., Achievable.