Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals to Achieve your Dreams

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As we age and enter different stages of life, our personal obligations and responsibilities tend to become more time-consuming. As a wife, student, employee, and caretaker for an elderly woman, some days feel incredibly overwhelming and daunting. By applying a specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.) process to my day, it becomes much more feasible. However, what about the long-term goals that will affect your future? By using the S.M.A.R.T. goal system, you are able to make your dreams a reality one small step at a time.

The first step in reaching a long-term goal is to understand the S.M.A.R.T. goal process. Simply using the words specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound can be a bit confusing. After a bit of research, I was able to better define the method. Using a S.M.A.R.T. Goal worksheet provided by Tatt (2012), I was able to understand the definition of each word in the acronym. In other words, specific stands for the who, what, where, why, and when of the goal. Measurable is explained by asking how much, how often, and how many. Attainable asks if the goal achievable. Relevant is defined as how it applies to your ultimate vision. Finally, time-bound is a time-restraint you establish to complete the specific goal. Furthermore, there is a section for intention or in other words, the long-term goal (Tatt, 2012). By filling out this worksheet I was able to first state my intention and then break it down further into smaller specific goals that would eventually lead up to the final picture. By choosing just one specific goal at a time and achieving that success, it becomes much easier to complete your overall dream.

The final piece in my comprehension o...

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...n you desire, taking an encompassing goal and breaking it down to smaller specific goals allows you to create a defined map that will promote your progress, one small step at a time, until your dreams have been achieved.

Works Cited

Cohen, S. (2013, January). Student Health 101 @ Ashford University. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://readsh101.com/ashfordu.html?id=ec8bd17d

Mossler, R. A. (2013). 8.4 Motivation and Job Satisfaction. In Adult Development and Learning. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUPSY202.13.1/sections/sec8.4

Oslance: Keep goals written, close at hand. (2009, April 2). Business Journal (Crystal Lake, IL).

Tatt, J. (2012, February). http://www.yourva.co.nz/toolbox/templates-for-small-business/. Retrieved April 10, 2014, from http://php5.mydns.net.nz/yourva.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Smart-Goal-Worksheet2.pdf

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