16 Winter Living Guide 2021
MN Daily MEDIA
Graham Peterson As the new year approaches, many of us are deciding what we want our New Year’s resolutions to look like. Whether it’s eating a little healthier, losing a few pounds, or getting to bed a little earlier, we’re all eager to improve our lives and become our best selves. The only problem…. we’ve done this same thing EVERY year prior, and what’s changed? A common reason people don’t maintain their resolutions is poor planning of their goals. They often set goals that are unachievable, unmeasurable, or too vague. How can we fix this? The SMART method. I’m going to guide you through the steps of this method and how to set your resolutions the right way. Hopefully by using the SMART method this year, you’re able to set strategic goals and CRUSH 2022.
Specific Specific means staying away from general goals, and narrowing it down to a distinct value or action. For example, if your resolution is to read more, how many books do you want to read? How many pages? How many minutes do you want to dedicate to reading? Doing this will allow you to better keep track of how far you’re coming in accomplishing your goal.
Measurable This step includes identifying quantifiable metrics you can track in order to meet your goal. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, identify an amount of weight you want to lose every month that will help you approach your ultimate goal.
Attainable This step is all about creating realistic goals. While big, lofty goals have their place, it might not be the most practical if your goal is to rank number 1 on Forbes 30 Under 30 in a year. Instead, focus on goals that you can realistically achieve, but are still a challenge to accomplish.
Relevant Relevant included setting goals that make sense for your lifestyle. It suggests that when setting goals, it’s important to take into consideration what responsibilities you already have in life. This includes classes, work, and self care. You shouldn’t set goals that sacrifice any of these, instead your goals should work in concurrence with them.
Time Bound Finally, it is important to ensure your goals are time bound. This relates very closely to the “measurable” portion of the algorithm. Time bound goals are goals that have ultimatums. For example, if your goal is to write a book, you should encourage yourself to have x number of pages written every week. This will help you track the metrics you set earlier, and ensure your goal is met by the end of the year.
