How To Turn Your Hopes Into Reality (Easy guide to SMART goals)
Everything starts with an idea, but some of the best ideas never grow to become real. Having ideas is a great and important first step. Making quality goals changes outcomes and ultimately transforms lives.
It has been said that if you aren’t sure where you are going you will surely get there (nowhere) or if you fail to aim you aim to fail!
In order to have a step-by-step plan or leading from God you need to have steps. You can always change them as He leads, but having them keeps in motion. It is always easier to turn a moving ship, car, bike, skateboard... whatever.
To quote American philanthropist Elbert Hubbard,
"Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or even courage, but simply because they have never organized their energies around a goal."
Dreams are unrefined hope and cost-free aspirations that we might do someday. Converting a dream into a goal is a decision to take tangible steps to pursue it. Goals are specific future targets that we are committed to becoming or accomplishing in an action-oriented, time-specific way.
The opposite of a SMART goal is a vague “goal”. Vague goals are ideas, ideals, or dreams that can’t be quantified. Having unclear goals is like hoping to cover your retirement by playing the lottery – they are not likely to happen but for some people that is as far as they get. Vague goals are not effective. They don’t really do anything but give a general sense of values or dreams.
Vague goals are:
- not clearly defined, so they can morph and can’t be checked.
- pursued alone, so the energy to complete them is capped by the individual considering them and there is no accountability.
- uncelebrated, because no one knows for sure what the target was in the first place.
- always “coming along”, but are they really?
- not on a calendar, so they have no time frame
- not on a to-do list, so you may or may not remember
Vague goals sound like this:
“I will be a good leader.”
“I’ll get my calendar in order.”
“I’ll be dependable and my email responses will be timely.”
“I’ll be more social and relationally connected.”
“I will get more volunteers involved and do less myself.”
More personal vague goals sound like these:
“I’m going to eat healthier.”
“I’ll be more intentional with my extended family.”
“I should clean out the garage.”
“I’ll follow Jesus as He leads.”
These kinds of goals rarely just happen. On occasion, we get an urge and eat a salad, but does that count as “healthier”?
Or maybe we make that phone call to grandma, are we all set then for being intentional with family connections?
It’s kind of like believing that our world should be a better place but not having a response for what that means for you personally and just hoping that having the right vibe will get us all there.
But don’t give up!
Actual TRACTION toward your goals may be closer than you think!
Instead of vague goals – make SMART goals! SMART goals are just plain smart! They are worth the effort and make all the difference.
Whether you want to be more intentional yourself personally, or work with your spouse for family, or even if you work with or lead team – SMART goals will serve you well!
SMART goals make all the difference in actual accomplishment, not just sharing ideals or dreams.
So, what is a SMART goal? I’m glad you asked!
SMART goals are:
Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Relevant. Time-Sensitive
Specific - A goal is specific when you can describe it clearly to others. You know what you want to accomplish. Vague goals equate to vague results. Goals must be fully furnished with a detailed description of the what, when, and how.
Measurable - A goal is measurable when you can clearly define what it means to have reached it. You can assess your progress. Goals that cannot be measured cannot be managed. Your goal is measurable if anyone can tell you at the end of the deadline, whether or not you have completed your goal.
Attainable - Your goal must be within your reach in your present situation. High goals that stretch you are okay, but high AND realistic goals are better. Unattainable goals do not motivate you. Easy goals on the other hand are not challenging enough. Thus, they do not contribute to growth.
Relevant - Goals need to be parallel to your purpose in life. Relevant goals are a sure way to direct your efforts toward attaining something that will is concentrated on who you are as a person. Goals are simply tools to accomplish one’s mission/purpose in life.
Time-Sensitive - Goals need to have deadlines. A goal free from time element is susceptible to procrastination.
SMART goals sound like this:
“I’ll eat low-carb during the week limiting my carbs to 10 per meal and then have one cheat day per week on Saturdays.”
“I’ll set a reminder in my phone asking me if I checked in with my mom each week.”
“I will drink some water each day before my coffee, working up to 20 oz. as my goal.”
“I’ll have a quiet time each day where I do my devotions. This will include picking one passage that meant something to me and journaling about it, and bullet point journaling my prayers.”
“I will stop using sticky note reminders as my to-do list, and instead move them to a spot in my calendar.”
“I will set aside time for email with my door closed twice a day, from 8-9 and 3-4. I’ll assess my progress and lengthen time if needed.”
Now your turn.
Check out this example and then work through your next SMART goal with the worksheet attached.
How to build a SMART goal: GROW Model
Goal – Write your overarching goal here – it’s okay if it is vague.
Get more volunteers involved.
Reality – Where are you at with it now?
We are short and don’t have a clear pathway.
Options – What are some ways this could happen? (good or not so good – get them all out there)
We could ask the Serve Dept to fill out the pipeline.
We could beg media to put in plugs for us.
We could ask the pastor for a pulpit ask.
We could ask our current key volunteers to ask people to shadow them.
We could work the lobby looking for people who might be interested.
We could ask for a blog about how cool volunteering in our dept is.
Will – Insert conclusion (=SMART goal-s)
I will recruit 20 new volunteers tri-annually each Fall, Spring and Summer by:
- Setting appointments with 1 key leader for each of the next 4 Sundays and ask them to pray about and invite someone to walk with them once each month.
- Intentionally looking for one person each week between services that looks interested and ask them if they would consider a test drive in volunteering in our dept.
- I will write a blog bragging about one of my key volunteers and provide a call-to-action connection for potential volunteers. I’ll schedule this with media by the end of next week.
I will adjust what I need to do, by assessing whether these plans are producing 7 volunteers each month. I will add on to what is working, and reduce efforts on what is not working. I’ll brainstorm ideas to try with other leaders if needed.
Ideas are dreams that can become reality by using SMART goals.
What would it be worth it to you to turn that dream into a reality?
Need help setting a SMART goal? Our Associate Coaches can do just that!
Want to do it at your own pace, check out the Traction workbook - it will give you tools to DIY your goals.
Learn to help others set goals and move their dreams into reality with Coach Training!