We have often heard or said the phrase: “The hardest part is to start!” We would definitely agree with that, but another frequently mentioned phrase is: “Even the longest journey begins with a single step.”
So, the question arises: “What is that first step and how do we take it?” The answer is: proper goal setting!
To clarify, goals are extremely powerful motivators of our behavior. If we don’t know where we want to go, our goal will definitely slip away from us very quickly. Countless times we have set goals like: “I will lose weight,” “I will exercise,” “I will give my best,” “I will try as much as possible,” or “I will become a better athlete”… All these goals have something in common, which is that they are not properly set. When goals are not properly set, we cannot follow them and they do not motivate us.
A popular scientifically based theory of goal setting states that every well-set goal must meet the so-called SMART criteria.
SMART criteria:
S – specific
M – measurable
A – attainable
R – relevant
T – time bound
Let’s go step by step. The first thing to remember, apart from the SMART criteria, is that goals should be written down precisely. Some goals are short-term and are achieved quickly, but some are long-term. If we don’t write down our goals, there is a high probability that we won’t remember them accurately, and then the whole theory of goal setting falls apart.
Furthermore, our goals must be as specific as possible. At this step, it is very easy to make a mistake and set the goal too broadly and imprecisely. When a goal is set like: “I will give my best in training,” it becomes dangerously easy to get lost in achieving that goal. It is necessary to determine the exact segments we will work on and how we will achieve this.
Next, we need to decide how we will measure whether the goal is achieved or not. For example: “I will do 5 sets of 25 sit-ups.” This way, we know exactly where we currently stand, i.e., how successful we are in achieving our goal. As a result, our motivation increases, and the goal achievement seems more attainable.
The next step is to set our goal to be attainable and personally significant. Therefore, we should set our goals before starting the activity and, if possible, in agreement with another person to be as objective as possible. Setting a goal that we cannot achieve and is not personally important to us makes little sense. But also, setting a goal that isn’t challenging or motivating enough makes no sense either.
The final task is to set our goal within a well-defined timeframe. In other words, we need to assign ourselves a realistic time in which we should achieve that goal.
In the end, when that time expires, the next step is evaluation that is, reviewing whether we have achieved the goal. If the answer is positive, we should reflect on what we did well and continue forward, but this time even better. However, if the answer is negative, we need to assess where we went wrong and adjust our method of achieving the goal. Evaluation is a step we must not skip because it forms the basis for planning our future path and setting our new, properly defined goals!
Luka Škrinjarić, M.Psych.