Written By: Daniel Bryant
Business Instructor | Aston American University
By now, you have probably read the title of this article and thought to yourself, “Great, just what the world needs: another slick talking self-help guru here to lecture me about the value of setting goals.” I certainly understand the cynicism. Further, I doubt there is anyone among us today, especially those of you seeking advanced education, in need of a reminder on the merits of goal-setting. Wouldn’t it stand to reason that you are already keenly aware of how to set and work towards the achievement of a set of goals? Your very participation in higher education indicates your interest in achieving greater intellect, career advancement/promotion, and the enhancement of your quality of life.
Instead, I would like to discuss something much more important: SMART goals. First, what is a SMART goal? The acronym, SMART (in the context of SMART goal-setting) describe goals that are:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Time-Based
So why is this important? Take for example, the goal of losing weight. Many have tried and failed to achieve this, but why is it that they have failed? For starters, how “attainable” is weight loss if one does not first establish their current weight? How might this impact the “measurable” nature of this goal? Next, how much weight would it take for the goal setter to be satisfied? We can see now that setting a goal of losing weight is not very “specific.” A better goal, using the SMART goal's principle, might be as follows:
“I aspire to lose 10 pounds (specific/realistic) in four months (measurable/time-based) by following a proper diet, getting 8 hours of sleep every night and walking 3 miles, 5 days per week (attainable).”
So, how might SMART goal setting apply to the attainment of your college degree? Consider the reason(s) you have embarked on your studies in the first place. Now, let’s sharpen these reasons by viewing them through the lens of a SMART goal. Consider the following example:
“I would like to receive a promotion to operations manager through the attainment of Aston American University’s online MBA program.”
What is good about that goal? For starters, it is specific. The goal-seeker clearly states the objective: Promotion to operations manager. Next, is it measurable? I believe so. Attainment of Aston American University’s online MBA program is the measurement. Is it attainable? Again, that answer is yes, as a student’s diligence in completion of the materials is well within his or her control.
Now, is it realistic? This is somewhat up for interpretation, as the employee and employer would most likely need to enter into an agreement in terms of what the MBA is going to be worth to the employer upon completion. Is this goal unrealistic, though? I do not necessarily think so.
Last, is this goal time-based? This is the area in which the goal could use improvement. How long might a student embark on their studies before attaining their MBA? This is not defined. Also, how long should the employee expect promotion once completing their MBA? This is also not clearly defined.
Let’s revise the goal:
“Within 4 months after graduation, I would like to receive a promotion to operations manager through the attainment of Aston American University’s online MBA program, studying 3 hours per day within 17 months of starting the program.”
Is the goal…
• Specific? Check!
• Measurable? Check!
• Attainable? Check!
• Realistic? Check!
• Time-Based? Check!
It is important that we view all of our goals in life through the SMART goal's filter. Doing so is what makes a somewhat broadly defined objective have meaning, thus, enhancing our human capital and allowing us to truly become the architect of our own destiny.
