SMART goals are:
- Specific: What exactly are you going to do?
- Measurable: How will you and others know when you have reached the goal?
- Attainable: Are you capable of reaching the goal? Do you have the ability? The resources? Time?
- Realistic: Are you willing to commit the time, resources, etc., to reaching the goal?
- Time-specific: Exactly when are you going to start? What is your time frame? When should the goal be reached?
Goals can push us and pull us forward, especially in bad times. You need to be persistent in trying to reach your goals, but not rigid. Ask yourself how you would change your goals if your life suddenly changed due to illness, death of a loved one, a national crisis or a natural disaster.