SMART Goals

By: Vanessa "Oma" Nzeh

We are about halfway through January so that means 2020 is in full swing! Have you finished mapping out your 2020 goals? Are you still on track or have already abandoned them and put away your carefully cut out and crafted vision board? I hope that’s not the case, but if it is I’m here to help! I want to share with you mine and my family’s 2020 goals and themes as well as five easy ways to set SMART goals stay on track ALL 2020!

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞: “𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠”

Hubby and I decided to focus on a theme for the decade because we feel that for a young growing (God willing 🙏🏾) family like ours foundation is key. We are both stewards of the wisdom our parents have instilled in us. And focusing on the big picture keeps our long term goals as a family at the forefront giving us values that we can judge our

actions by.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎: “𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞”

We all want to live life to the fullest, but often we think that means indulgences. In actuality discipline begets abundance and is the true path to wealth in all areas of life. The areas we are practicing discipline in and encourage you to as well are:

Mental/Spiritual Health – through daily prayer/meditation

Emotional Health – by identifying and avoiding our own emotional triggers as well as our spouse’s #majorkey

Physical Health – Commitment to physical activity, healthy food choices and body positivity.

Financial Health – Sticking to the budget. Period.

Now it is often said that a goal without a plan is just a wish. And we all know that wishful thinking gets us know where. One method that I have found helpful in improving my chances of succeeding in accomplishing my goals is to set SMART goals.

SMART Goals

SMART is an acronym for: SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACHIEVABLE, RELEVANT and TIME-BASED.

SPECIFIC

This first step is crucial and often where most people fail. Your goal should be simple and clear. If you cannot clearly define what you are trying to achieve then you cannot outline the steps to get to that goal and are utterly doomed from the start. Make it plain. Answering “who, what, where, when, why, and how” can help with this.

MEASURABLE

Numbers don’t lie. And numbers also keep us accountable. When we attach numbers to our goals that makes them trackable and provides a way to measure progress. If “losing weight” is your goal, that’s a little difficult to measure. But if “losing 10 lbs” is your goal, you can easily measure how far you have come and how far you have to go to get to your overall goal of “losing 10 lbs”.

ACHIEVABLE

Set realistic and attainable goals. If you have never ran a mile before, setting a goal to run a marathon in the next 3 months is a bit ambitious. Yes it’s nice to dream big, but don’t set lofty goals that will only lead to lack of motivation and ultimately discouragement.

RELEVANT

Ask yourself why this goal is important to you and/or family. Will achieving this goal positively impact your life or your family’s life? Is it the right time to pursue this goal? Considering these things are crucial to your goal setting and your overall success in achieving those goals.

TIME-BASED

Set a target date. If the time to reach your goal is projected to take longer than 3 months, consider also setting “milestones” to achieve along the way. Baby steps are still steps in the right direction.

Setting goals shouldn’t be cumbersome. It should be a fun and eye opening experience. And just because I am invested in your success and want you to achieve your goals, I have designed an easy-to-use template that will put you on the fast track to creating, tracking and accomplishing all your goals for this year and years to come.