Coach Christmas here to talk about SMART goals.

Many of your students and athletes may have some new goals or resolutions. And we know that after a few weeks, many of them will forget or give up on these goals. It’s a common situation among goal setters and the biggest reason for this is that many of us don’t really analyze our goals. Far too often we only think of the outcome but not the work it will take to accomplish them.

All hope is not lost! Many of us teachers and coaches have heard of SMART goals but I’d love to review them with you to pass on to your students and athletes.

SMART stands for:

S-Specific: this is you knowing exactly what the outcome is. Your goal should answer the “Who?” “What?” “Where?” “When?” and “Why?” questions.

M-Measurable: what unit of measurement will you use to determine if you’ve almost completed your goal? Is your goal time based like running a 4.5sec 40yard dash? Or is it quantity based like wanting to be able to do 10 pull-ups? The point of measurable goals is to make it easier to track your goal progress.

A-Achievable: this is where you evaluate where you currently are and theorize what you can realistically accomplish. I find that setting goals that push you just a little bit over your current limits will help build your confidence.

R-Relevant: this is where you match the goal to an outcome. Your short term milestones should assist in getting you to your long term goal(s).

T-Time Bound: your goals have a time limit. A date you’d like to accomplish this. Time Bound goals create a sense of urgency and requires you to plan your goals with more detail. As the deadline approaches, it will be evident whether or not you are on track to achieve your goal.

And that’s it! Carefully breaking down our goals is an effective way for us to really consider what it is that we want and how to effectively achieve success!