Success Key: S.M.A.R.T. Goal Achievement Method – Part 2

With respect to any particular Goal, at any point in time (and regardless of the number, nature and extent of all Goals, for we all have many) you are either moving towards your Goal or away from it.  There is no in between.  Standing still doesn’t count, for if you are not progressing forward, then you are moving backwards.  As such, if you truly Desire to attain the Goal, it is highly critical to know whether you are progressing forward in the right direction or whether you are merely moving backwards.  If you are NOT moving towards your Goal, then you MUST know that fact AND you MUST find out why.

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Success Key: S.M.A.R.T. Goal Achievement Method – Part 2: MEASURABILITY

Last week, we opened a discussion on the SMART Goal Achievement Method – a precise and highly effective system that significantly assists you in the process of working towards a Goal, thereby greatly increasing your likelihood of ultimate Success.

As you may recall, SMART is an acronym for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time.  In last week’s post we addressed in detail the first element of the SMART Method: “S” or Specificity.  Today, we will take a close look at the “M” or Measurability.

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On its surface, there probably doesn’t seem much to say about Measurability.  Your initial response may have been, “okay, the Goal must be measurable,” or “progress towards the Goal must be measurable.”  But it is more than that.  And, when we examine why progress must be measurable, we come to a greater understanding of the Goal and Success attainment process, thereby increasing our levels of awareness and increasing the likelihood that we will Succeed.

Measurability is really a four-fold element.  Measurability means that: 1) you must be capable of measuring your progress as you work towards your Goal (i.e., your Goal must be Specific enough (the “S”) so that at any point in time anyone may objectively determine whether or not the Goal has been achieved), 2) you implement a system capable of periodically measuring your progress towards your Goal, 3) you actually use your system of measuring your progress towards your Goal, thereby collecting valuable information of your progress and, if you are not progressing towards the Goal, why not, and 4) in response to the information collected through your progress measuring system, you take appropriate remedial or corrective action that will bring you closer to achieving your Goal, with the action comprising both speed/efficiency and/or direction towards the Goal.

Now this may all seem like quite a bit of work, but in practical reality, it truly isn’t.  In fact, using your Goal progress system – whatever it may be – will save you untold amounts of time in the long run, and may even be the saving grace that keeps ultimate failure at bay.

With respect to any particular Goal, at any point in time (and regardless of the number, nature and extent of all Goals, for we all have many) you are either moving towards your Goal or away from it.  There is no in between.  Standing still doesn’t count, for if you are not progressing forward, then you are moving backwards.  As such, if you truly Desire to attain the Goal, it is highly critical to know whether you are progressing forward in the right direction or whether you are merely moving backwards.  If you are NOT moving towards your Goal, then you MUST know that fact AND you MUST find out why.

A well established Goal progress system will answer both questions.  It will allow you to evaluate – in an objective fashion – your progress, and if you not making progress, why not.

Why is this so critical?  Because if you determine that you are not moving towards your Goal and you have objectively identified why not, then you are in position to take remedial, corrective ACTION to get you back on track.  That is how ALL Success is attained and ALL Goals achieved.  Through this evaluation process, the individual is able to determine whether or not they are moving towards the Goal, and if not, then why not, and in response, the appropriate corrective ACTION may be taken.  It is the only way.

The best laid plans (Definiteness of Plan) at the beginning of any venture rarely will bring you directly to your destination.  You must modify your trip along the way.  It is HOW Success is Realized!

Measuring Progress. A well established Goal progress system MUST anwer two questions: 1) Whether you are moving towards your Goal, and 2) If not, why?

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There’s more to Measurability and we will continue this discussion in our next Success Key post on the subject of SMART.  But, there are some great take-aways from this discussion which you may adopt and implement immediately.

First, take an inventory of ALL of your Goals.  Okay, I know you have many.  But, in each case, to what extent have you implemented “Measurability?”  Again, Measurability means:

1. You must be capable of measuring your progress as you work towards your Goal (i.e., your Goal must be Specific enough (the “S”) so that at any point in time anyone may objectively determine whether or not the Goal has been achieved),
2. You implement a system capable of periodically measuring your progress towards your Goal,
3. You actually use your system of measuring your progress towards your Goal, thereby collecting valuable information as to your progress and, if you are not progressing towards the Goal, WHY NOT, and
4. In response to the information collected through your progress measuring system, you take appropriate remedial or corrective ACTION (or, as Anthony Robbins would say, "MASSIVE ACTION") that will bring you closer to achieving your Goal, with the ACTION comprising both speed/efficiency and/or direction towards the Goal.

If you do not have a progress measurement system in place, no matter how “primitive” it may be, you will not be able to determine if you are moving towards your Goal or away from it.  And, as pointed out last week, if your Goal lacks Specificity (the “S” in SMART), then you will not even be able to implement the “M.”  So, if you haven’t done last week’s homework and refined any non-specific, vague or ambiguous Goals (they must be objectified so that any third party can determine when the Goal is achieved), get going on that so that you can move onto the “M.”

This is very important stuff.

Until next time, Peace my Friend, and - Namaste!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

The Success Manual Team

 PS - Exciting News: THE WATTLES PROPSERITY BIBLE, THE LAW OF ATTRACTION PROSPERITY BIBLE, and THE WATTLES QUOTABLE BIBLE - See Yesterday's IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

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