SMART Goals and Resolutions

Marty’s Muse

Something to think about …

Jan 2010

Did you make any resolutions about your writing projects? I did.

I prefer to think of them as goals. Resolutions generally fail because they are vague, unspecific, and unrealistic. They’re not goals. A resolution is something you say. A goal is something you do.

Motivational speakers will tell us that goals need to be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.

Specific – This is the “what, why, how” of the SMART model (the “who,” of course, is you; “when” comes under Timely, below.) State your goal in clear, simple, succinct language. A goal should be full of action words: “I will (plan, organize, complete, obtain, build, lose, gain, run, write …”)

Measurable – “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” In other words, how will you know when you’re done? You want your goal to have incrementally measurable elements: “in one week,” “by March 15^th,” “every day.” Larger, broader goals should be broken down into smaller-step goals, with the SMART model applied to each phase.

Attainable – Can I expect to master kinetic teleporting any time in this century—or ever? Make your goal something you truly can achieve. This doesn’t mean make it easy; always aim a little bit higher than what you think you are capable of.

Realistic – See “Attainable” above. Always strive to succeed. But you should also retain a clear understanding of your capabilities and limitations. It’s not likely I will ever be in shape to run the Boston Marathon—or any marathon, for that matter; but maybe I can walk a 5k this year.

Timely – This is the “when” in the model. Set an end date and a timetable. Without a set timeframe, a designated endpoint, your goal is too vague. It lacks the urgency. Your timetable must be measurable, attainable, and realistic, and, as before, stated in incremental steps (see “Measurable” above.)

So, what are my writing goals for this year? I thought you might ask that. My writing goals for 2010 are:

1) I will write a minimum one hour every day

2) I will read for at least one hour every day (novel, story, article, book on the writing craft, etc.); further, I will note in my journal what I read

3) I will have my novel manuscript “book ready” for submission by December 31, 2010. (Of course, to meet our SMART criteria, I should break this goal down further into measurable, attainable, realistic incremental steps. Since I already have the manuscript written, making it “book ready” is the next, larger goal.);

4) And my “Pie in the Sky” goal: I will spend 5 hours a day, 5 days a week on my current writing project(s)

Just keep writing!

Marty “Be-SMART” Gorsching