Common Sense Ideas for Becoming the Career Star You Are Meant to Be

Today is Wednesday, so this post is on outstanding performance.

A goal is a dream with a deadline.

Goals are the key to outstanding performance.  They are so important that I’m going to repost my thoughts on setting SMART goals.

Good goals are SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results Oriented, Time Specified.  This is a tried and true formula for creating goals that will result in meaningful accomplishments.

• Specific – Your goals should be targeted, nor broad and general.  They should be unambiguous and explicit. 
• Measurable – you should be able to tell quickly and easily if you’ve met your goal.  Develop a set of criteria that will be indicative of success or failure in meeting each of your goals
• Achievable – Set goals that are challenging, but not incredibly difficult to achieve.  A challenging goal is motivating, an impossible one is demotivating.
• Results Oriented – Focus on results, avoid in the activity trap.  Your goals should focus on the results you want to achieve, not the activities you will undertake to get there.  For example, “improved presentation skills” is a result; “participating in a presentation skills training program” is an activity.  It’s possible to complete activities and not achieve the desired result.
• Time Specified – Set deadlines for achieving your goals. Well developed goals come with time limits.

Once you’ve set your SMART goals, share them with the people with whom you are close.  These people can help you achieve your goals.  Goals that you don’t share are merely aspirations.  Sharing them with others makes them more real – and more likely to be accomplished.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.  Check out my other blog: www.CommonSenseGuy.com for common sense advice on leading people and running a small business.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.