If you read the post from earlier this year about printing your new year’s resolutions, you’re probably feeling pretty accomplished. To refresh your memory, a study done by the Dominican University determined that people who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them. This is why you should repeat this printing process and print your summer goals as well!
There are a lot of scientific reasons as to why you should write down and print your goals, many of which were discussed in the blog post mentioned above. Now summer is in season and the sun is shining outside and you are likely wanting to make some summer goals… And you should! Setting goals gives you something to work towards and achieving them gives you something to celebrate. With that said, there is nothing worse than giving up on your resolutions and goals halfway through the season. Luckily, this can be avoided with a simple acronym, S.M.A.R.T. Taught to and lived by public relations professionals and marketing specialists, S.M.A.R.T goals are the only way to make sure you can celebrate your achievements when time is up.
Specific.
This means that “Lose 5 lbs” is not a goal. It is a general idea.
A specific goal is concrete and answers all the W’s: who, what, where, when, and why. So, “Join the local gym and exercise 4 days per week” is much better. It answers all 5 W’s, and is clear of how it will be done.
Measurable.
A measurable goal is one that has had criteria established for measuring its progress. This means you need to account for when you will measure yourself and how you will determine if you are on track.
A measurable goal has answers to these questions: How much? How many? How will I know that I’ve accomplished my goal?
Attainable.
An attainable goal is one that has determined how you are going to achieve it. This means you need to develop a plan, skills and/or attitude(s) necessary to accomplish the goal.
In the case of the example above, you would need to determine what days per week you should plan on attending the gym and what exercises you should do while you are there.
Realistic.
This one is so important. You need to be realistic in setting your goals or else you will quit halfway through and never look back. While it is a great idea to set high goals, be realistic in what you need and how you need to do in order to achieve it.
Time-Bound.
Making sure your goals are time-bound is probably the most important factor in setting a goal. You can’t lose 5 pounds in a week, and probably not even a month. For summer specifically, determine when you think “summer” ends. For me, it would be September 1st. That gives me just shy of 3 months to work towards my goal(s).
And the best for last: Print, Print, Print.
Printing your goals will give you the motivation you need on the day’s when everything seems to be going against you. Design a fun template or call us to help. With a personalized summer goal list, you will be able to succeed and achieve your goals.
From limiting your goals to a realistic number and setting achievable expectations to feeling motivated and seeing your success, printing your goals is an easy decision. Remember to follow these S.M.A.R.T guidelines before you print out your goals. If you need help printing out your summer goals give us a call! Or fill out the form below.
