By Lynn Erhorn
Life coaching is about goal setting, overcoming obstacles, and achievement. My clients are introduced to the acronym “S.M.A.R.T” very early in the coaching process and it’s a great place to start, whatever the goal is! The term “SMART” goals has been used in the business world for around 20 years, probably first appearing in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran (1). A popular check list for evaluating strategic plans, project milestones, and even career path objectives, the “S.M.A.R.T” criteria has naturally and successfully made the transition to any area of life where performance or goals can be measured with an eye toward improvement. So, let’s look at what the letters represent.
Though some liberty is taken with the “S.M.A.R.T” acronym depending upon the application, these are the most commonly-used terms associated with each letter, and the ones I use in my life coaching practice.
S = Specific. “I’m going to do better at managing my time,” is a vague statement and can seem overwhelming as a grand concept. Simply making the statement more specific brings us a giant step closer to accomplishment if for no other reason than we have a clearer idea of what is expected. An example of a specific time management goal would be, “I will decline invitations to social events if my homework is not completed.”
M = Measurable. A goal is a finish line, so it is essential to have a statement built right into the goal that makes it clear how we will know when we have succeeded. So, for someone who wishes to eat a more nutritious diet, the transition might be from, “I really should eat more fruits and vegetables,” to “I will eat two pieces of fruit and three vegetable servings each day.” Or, if measuring a longer term goal, the statement might be, “I will reduce my carbohydrate portions by 50 percent with each meal for sixty days.” When we meet to evaluate this client’s progress in a coaching session, there is a clear and simple way to know where we are on the road to success by looking at the actual behavior against this measurement.
A = Attainable. This is the “be sensible” factor. So far, we’ve looked at goals in time management and healthy eating. These are two areas where it is typical for people to have unrealistic expectations in today’s culture. If you’ve set a specific, measurable goal that is not attainable, you have just positioned yourself for failure. It is crucial to evaluate your stated goal for attainability. Here’s how I might direct a life coaching client trying to manage their time more effectively:
Original goal: “I will make a list of everything that needs to be done today and make sure I do everything on the list before I go to bed.”
Attainable goal: “I will make a prioritized list of everything that needs to be done today and make sure I do everything I have rated “top priority” before I go to bed.”
Anything rated “2″ or “3″ can be moved to tomorrow’s list or, better yet, evaluated for whether it needs to be on the list at all!
R = Relevant. Sometimes we set goals for ourselves that either don’t match our priorities, won’t make a significant impact on our overall success or, in some cases, actually work against our accomplishments. Every goal should be part of a big picture that is, first and foremost, consistent with what we know of God’s plan for our life. For instance, we know that God wants us all to know Him, willingly obey Him for our own benefit, and be an earthly representative of His heavenly kingdom. If you are a client of Perissos Resources, you can expect every goal to be put through this filter since we believe any goal we set for ourselves that is inconsistent with God’s nature and will is irrelevant to the reason we exist. If you state a goal like, “I want to be married within a year,” I will spend some time evaluating that goal with you with an eye toward what scripture says, what we can discover about God’s specific plan for your life, and whom that goal serves when stated in this way. We might decide another goal is necessary before beginning the process of searching for a mate (like resolving a health issue or improving communication skills). Or, we might look for ways to re-state the goal so the focus is transferred from our desires to God’s. An example of that might be, “I will serve in a ministry I am passionate about and pray that God will present opportunities for me to meet other singles with a similar heart.”
T = Timely. It is easy to become discouraged and give up on a goal if the finish line is too far in the distance — or too near. An important factor in making your goal “attainable” is to set a reasonable time frame in which to accomplish it. Returning to the area of healthy eating, if I’m working with a client who struggles a great deal with discipline, I might suggest a “baby steps” goal such as, “I will eat one piece of fruit instead of dessert tomorrow.” Here, we can see all the elements of the “S.M.A.R.T” criteria in action. This person has agreed to “specifically” eat fruit in place of dessert and “measurably” eat one piece of that fruit and decline one dessert. The goal is “attainable,” because we’re only asking for one instance and not an ongoing disciplined behavior, which was the area of struggle. So, when we next meet, the chances of hearing the report “I did it!” are much, much greater. It is a “relevant” goal because the desire is to eat in a healthier way, which is consistent with optimally positioning ourselves to serve God and respect our bodies as temples where the Holy Spirit dwells. Now, we have added the time frame of “tomorrow,” which provides a sense of immediacy, decreases the tendency to procrastinate, and increases the chances of success because the agreement is freshly made and the report will need to be made to the coach.
“S.M.A.R.T” should be regularly evaluated and re-evaluated (sometimes referred to as “S.M.A.R.T.E.R.” goals) since circumstances may change that affect the criteria or the client’s ability to comply with them. Anyone can use these guidelines for setting goals and they will have the same impact on your success if you apply them in your life with or without a life coach. But, there is a great deal of value added by partnering with a coach to help you evaluate your goals, construct them properly, and then hold you accountable for them on a regular basis. Your life coach will serve as an encourager (cheerleader), mentor, prayer partner, accountability partner, and supporter throughout the process. When you agree to partner with a life coach and to be held accountable, you will accomplish your goals much faster and more effectively than you would on your own. The feeling of accomplishment is a wonderful one, and I believe God designed it to be so to keep us striving for the next great thing He has for us to do in His name!
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1. Doran, George T. “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives.” Management Review, Nov 1981, Volume 70 Issue 11.
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