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Another key factor in self-motivation is our ability to set goals that both inspire us and translate directly into immediate action. We need to link our larger aspirations to smaller tasks that move us toward those aspirations. This seems like common sense, but it is easy to fall into the trap of making To Do lists itemizing a series of short-term objectives and allowing our brains to dwell on the short-term satisfaction of checking things off these lists, regardless of whether the tasks move us forward in any one of our most important goals. We all have a need for closure and, unfortunately, this can cause us to fixate on completing a task or a list of tasks without asking ourselves whether we are really pursuing the best course of action. The result—we spend hours doing work that is unimportant and trivial in the big picture (but satisfying in the short term), while delaying or ignoring those key projects that actually fall in line with what we say we want to accomplish.
There is a way to get around this bad habit. The answer is to come up with a specific kind of list—one that includes both stretch goals and SMART goals. A stretch goal is a big, long-term goal that seems out of reach on the surface. SMART goals are those smaller goals that bring that seemingly unattainable stretch goal into reach.
A SMART goal is a goal that is:
• Specific (for example, writing 10 pages of your book by the end of the week)
• Measurable (you should be able to measure whether you accomplished your goal or how close you came to accomplishing it)
• Achievable (with actionable steps)
• Realistic (be honest with yourself about the time and resources you have)
• Timeline (give yourself a deadline for achieving this goal)
When you put together a To Do list that compels you to first identify your stretch goal and then come up with SMART goals to push you toward your stretch goal, you will be forced to commit to something that is ambitious and may seem out of reach, but you will have a concrete plan for achieving that objective. The two types of goals work together incredibly well, and everyone who wants to do great things needs both types. SMART goals, standing alone, can turn into a mindless To Do list that doesn’t challenge or inspire us, and doesn’t lead to big results. Stretch goals can seem so audacious and terrifying that we are paralyzed, not knowing where to begin. But the two, combined, give us not only an aspiration, but also a disciplined mindset and a set of concrete steps to show us how to achieve that aspiration.
It should be pretty clear by now why you need both stretch goals and SMART goals. But how do you put this knowledge into action? Just follow these steps.
First, make a list of your biggest ambitions. They can be professional goals, aspirations for your relationships, financial goals, et cetera. Dream big. The purpose of a stretch goal is that it’s something that seems out of reach (but not completely impossible) right now. Describe the stretch goal in as much detail as possible. Reflect on your reasons for setting this goal.
Then choose one of the stretch goals you wrote down. Make a list of specific, measurable, achievable, realistic (SMART) steps that will move you toward that stretch goal. Give yourself a deadline for each of your SMART goals. Ask yourself what realistic progress you can make over the next day, week, month, quarter. Ask yourself what timeline makes sense for both your stretch goal and each of your SMART goals. And ask yourself how you will measure your progress.
Here’s an example of a stretch goal paired with a SMART goal:
Stretch goal: Run a marathon.
Specific step toward stretch goal: Be able to run 10 miles, no walking.
Measurable: Keep track of distance using smart phone app.
Achievable: Yes, if I run at least 3 times a week.
Realistic: Yes, if I wake up early three days per week.
Timeline: Run 2 miles without stopping this week, 3 miles next week, 5 miles the next week, and so on.
If you want to accomplish big things, you need stretch and SMART goals. You don’t have to label them in any certain way, and your SMART goals don’t have to fulfill each of the five criteria, but you do need to establish long-term, ambitious objectives, and an action-focused short-term plan to get yourself there. And don’t forget that the mere act of writing down your stretch and SMART goals does not mean you instantly have all the answers, that everything will fall into place. There will be times when you will feel lost and frustrated. That’s OK. Take another look at your goals, determine if and how they should be altered or made more concrete or broken down further, then get back on track. You can do it!