How to set effective and measurable goals
Setting goals can be a great way of staying motivated at work, as well as in your personal life. But, how can you ensure that these goals are tangible, rather than just vanity metrics?
Look, we get it - in those moments of motivation we think it’s achievable to be able to go on 4 holidays, save enough money for two houses, and become a fitness influencer. However, at some point we have to be realistic with our goals so they can be effective.
The first thing you have to do before setting any goals at work is to not compare your goals to anyone else’s, and this can be hard to master. Comparison really is the thief of joy, and if you spend your time worrying that your goals are less ambitious than the person sitting next to you, you’re already setting yourself up for failure. Instead, focus on competing with yourself!
Now, let’s focus on setting the goals…
We’re going to use the SMART goal technique, which stands for:
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
Let’s say your goal is to receive a promotion. This goal is great, but we’re going to make it smart.
Specific: I want to receive a promotion to X job title.
Measurable: To do this I need to hit X, Y, and Z criteria which I have confirmed with my manager.
Achievable: I know this is achievable because of the stage I’m currently at in my career, it isn’t too ambitious or out of sight.
Time-bound: I have to reach this promotion by the end of 2022.
Another example would be that your goal is to relocate to a new office. Let’s make it smart!
Specific: I want to relocate to the New York office.
Measurable: To do this I need to hit X, Y, and Z criteria which I have confirmed with my manager. I also need to ensure that my paperwork (visa, living situation) is confirmed a minimum of 3 months before my departure.
Achievable: I know this is achievable because of the stage I’m currently at in my career, it isn’t too ambitious or out of sight, and I can also legally relocate.
Time-bound: I have to reach this goal by the end of 2022.
You can use this technique for pretty much any goal in your life, whether that’s personal or professional. You can also go one-step further with professional goals, and align them to the wider team or business goals.
Not only will this keep you continuously accountable, but if it’s a goal more than one individual in the team is also working towards, you can use that as motivation to spur you on.
Finally, setting effective goals is all about quality - rather than quantity. There’s nothing wrong with setting one personal goal and one professional goal, and there’s also nothing wrong with setting 10. However, you want to avoid overloading your mind or burn yourself out with too many plates spinning at once.
Our advice would be to start with two goals (personal and professional) and then review how you are doing with both of them midway through the year. If you’re on track, feel free to add a smaller “mini goal” into the mix!