As a business owner, former educator, and habilitative
trainer, I’ve learned that goals are only meaningful if we track them. How can we know our progress without understanding our starting point?
1. Define SMART Goals
Write goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Here's how:
Specific: Be clear about what you want to achieve.
Measurable: Identify how you will measure success.
Achievable: Ensure your goal is realistic.
Time-bound: Set a deadline.
2. Assess Your Current Status
Spend 10 minutes honestly reflecting on where you currently stand. Consider areas like finance, personal growth, or well-being. Identify what's working and where you need improvement. This is your baseline.
Create a document to track your goals. Whether you prefer a typed or handwritten document, or a Google Sheet, label it with your goal’s category, e.g., “Finance 2025.” Include multiple sheets/tabs if needed.
Example of a Baseline:
“In finance, I currently save 5% of my income monthly.”
3. Write Your SMART Goal
Example: “I will increase my monthly savings from 5% to 10% by June 30, 2025.”
4. Develop a Strategy
Choose a strategy that suits your lifestyle. Ensure it's realistic and provides multiple opportunities for success.
Example Strategy:
“To increase savings, I will reduce dining out to twice a month and allocate the savings to my account.”
5. Set Up Tracking
Use a spreadsheet to log your progress. List your goals and strategies, then track them weekly.
Example Tracking Sheet Set-Up:
Week 1 (Jan 1-7, 2025): Note daily tasks and mark completion
Review Weekly Progress: Did you meet the weekly objective?
6. Measure and Review Data
Create weekly or quarterly evaluations. Record whether you met your goals and analyze your strategy’s effectiveness. Make necessary adjustments based on your findings.
Example Data Evaluation:
“Over 12 weeks, I met my savings goal 10 times (10/12 = 83%).”
7. Final Evaluation
After your set timeframe, assess your overall progress. For instance, if your quarterly goal met the target 85% of the time or more, you may want to continue the current goal. If it is less, you may determine that adjustments or new goals are warranted.
See? Wasn’t that easy? If you need more help understanding how to reach your goals, check out the book, Atomic Habits by James Clear. You can find that book HERE. In fact, I've put together a collection of books that changed my business, emotional, artistic, and lifestyle practices.
Check them out HERE.
Interested in joining our community? Get started HERE.
You might be asking, “But Brooke… How do I start?”
I’m here to help. for a free Goal Setter spreadsheet, or create your own with these 7 easy steps.
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