How being SMART can be a key advantage to your 2023

Don’t worry, this blog post isn’t turning into an IQ test. As we head into the final working weeks of 2022, it’s time to start looking forward and setting our goals for Q1 and 2023. And when it comes to goal setting, there is nothing better than SMART objectives.

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So what exactly are SMART objectives?

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Well SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. Developed by business consultant George T. Doran, this method is designed to help you efficiently plan out your goals while keeping them realistic and achievable.

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Let's break SMART down:

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Specific

Your goal should be clear and straightforward enough for you to be able to create a plan to achieve it.

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Measurable

What you want to achieve must be measurable in some way, for example ‘I want to make 10 outreach calls’ instead of ‘make outreach calls’. This helps you create actual evidence of progression and success within your goal/s.

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Attainable

Making sure that your goals are genuinely achievable in terms of workload, financial situation and any other external circumstances that could affect your ability to activate your plan.

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Relevant

It is important that your goals set are relevant not only to your overall plan ones that are related to your professional career and personal development.

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Time-bound

Time-bound means you have a timeframe you’d like to achieve your goal in, oftentimes fuelling a sense of urgency that helps motivate you to achieve.

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SMART goals are essential to help visualise your goals and what you want to achieve, then help you break those down. They encourage you to set reasonable expectations and put your broad dreams into a series of achievable steps. The refining of what steps are most effective is a key part of goal setting for you and your team in 2023.

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Having progress that you can not only see but can numerically track, especially for visual learners, is an essential part of goal tracking. SMART objectives help you figure out what tactics are working the best, what roadblocks are in your way and help you to constantly reset the bar to ensure your goals stay attainable.

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