Do you know how to set good goals? The number 1 reason people don’t accomplish their goals is they are poor goals. Sloppy goals. Weak Goals.
If you don’t want that to happen to you, stick around to find out the basics of how to create quality goals.
This is the second week of the 6-week DFL Goal Setting Project 2020. The Project is a special series of videos on Goals.
Last week, we talked about creating your Desired End State before you even start making goals. Whether you are an old hand at goal setting or have never written one in your life, this is a series you don’t want to miss.
There are literally a bazillion ways to create goals. But there are a few methods that have risen to the top. Today we’ll be talking about SMART goals. That’s smart with all caps because it is an acronym.
But before I tell you what it stands for, let’s talk about what a goal is.
A goal is a written statement of where you want to be or what you want to accomplish.
We have all kinds things we want, or think we want in life. They are in our heads and we think we’re working toward them. But those aren’t goals. Those are wishes. Or dreams. Or just fantasies.
When you make a goal you put something to paper.
If you have created the Desired End State, you have a vision or a dream of where you want to be. But you don’t have a goal. You need to have that vision because without it you won’t be able to even create goals.
You need to write a statement that defines where you need to be to have your Desired End State. There may be multiple statements because a Desired End State of a happy healthy close knit family, for example, does happen just from one cause.
But focus first on writing down one thing that must happen for you to achieve a desired end state.
Maybe an example would be more helpful.
One desired end state I have is for this channel is to reach a large audience and have a big impact on the world.
Now it is time to make this goal SMART.
SMART stands for:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
Now let’s go through each of these and I’ll smarten up my statement while explaining.
Specific
The statement is already specifically about this YouTube Channel and not about everything DFL does. But my current statement is about a couple of things related to the channel.
Let’s just work out one thing, a large audience.
The DFL YouTube Channel will have a large audience.
Measurable
What is a large audience? How will I know when I’ve achieved a large audience?
Well I can look at my subscriber count. I have an idea of what YouTube thinks is large based on their Creator Benefit Levels.
The smallest they think is large is the silver button, which means you have 100,000 subscribers. Using subscriber count and setting a specific number means our goal is measurable.
The DFL YouTube Channel will have 100,000 subscribers.
Achievable
This means the goal is with the realm of possibility. To me, the best way to gauge if something is possible is to ask if other people like me who have done the same thing.
There are lots of YouTubers with Silver Buttons, so it is doable.
Even in my niche – personal development and entrepreneurship – there are a number of YouTubers who’ve achieved the silver button. So it is achievable.
The DFL YouTube Channel will have 100,000 subscribers.
Relevant
Does the statement actually do what we want the goal to accomplish? This is where it is good to have the Desired End State to compare to. Does having a big subscriber count equal to having a big audience?
I think it does. So we are still good with the goal as is.
The DFL YouTube Channel will have 100,000 subscribers.
Time-bound
This means your goal has to have a deadline.
My subscriber goal currently doesn’t. But we have to be careful here because we can blow up Achievable if we set the deadline wrong. You may have to do some research here. How long has it taken others to do the same thing?
To tell you the truth I was working out this goal as I was writing the episode. Doing research on YouTube subscriber growth, looking at other channels, etc.
It was confusing, but in the end I came up with a goal that I think is realistic and in a time frame that is relevant. Actually I ended up with 3 goals, as each built on the last, but the first one is this:
The DFL YouTube Channel will have 1000 subscribers by July 1, 2020.
Part of me feels like that is way too long and part feels like it isn’t long enough. So hit that subscribe button and help me out.
My follow up goals just so you don’t think I’m copping out are:
The DFL YouTube Channel will have 10,000 subscribers by December 1, 2021.
The DFL YouTube Channel will have 100,000 subscribers by December 31, 2022.
Now my goal is SMART.
Question of the Day: How have you used SMART goals?
Now that you’ve got a goal, you are ready to do something to supercharge it. This next step will give you the power to overcome obstacles and persist as you pursue the goal.
I’ve also made a free one-page guide and worksheet for the whole 2020 DFL Goal Setting Project. You can get it by going here.
