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When setting goals try to keep them S.M.A.R.T. This acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Tangible. By following these key words when constructing your goals, your chances of actually completing them will go up considerably.
Click here for a pdf version of S.M.A.R.T.
Specific A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. A general goal would be, Get in shape. But a specific goal would say, Join a health club and work out 3 days a week.
Measurable Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that can spur you on to the continued effort required to reach your goal.
* To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as
How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?
Attainable When you identify goals that are truly important to you, you will begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals.
Realistic To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that every goal represents substantial progress.
* Your goal is probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished. Some additional ways to know if a goal is realistic for you: Determine if you have accomplished anything similar in the past or ask yourself what conditions would have to exist in order to accomplish this goal.
Tangible A goal is tangible when you can experience it with one of your senses, that is, taste, touch, smell, sight or hearing. When your goal is tangible, or when you tie a tangible goal to an intangible goal, you have a better chance of making it specific and measurable, and thus attainable.
* Intangible goals may be goals for internal changes (such as personality characteristics or behaviors) required to reach more tangible goals. Since intangible goals are vital for improving your effectiveness, make sure to find tangible ways of measuring them.
Source: http://www.hrs.sc.edu/rli/pdf/asr/CreatingSMARTGoals.pdf
(There are numerous versions of SMART goals, this is only one.)
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