Take the SMARTER Approach

The SMARTER approach to achieving your goals is similar to cooking. First you need to know what you are cooking (Specific). Then you pull together the amounts (Measurable) of each ingredient (Attainable), and bake everything at a specific temperature for a determined (Reasonable) length of time (Timely). Then you taste (Evaluate) the food and finally decide how you will modify (Reorganize) your recipe to improve on your next attempt. Learning how to doing things SMARTER has never been so easy!

Specific: When putting your goals to paper, make sure they are straightforward and free of ambiguity. For example, instead of: "I want to lose weight," try: "I will lose 10 pounds over the next 10 weeks." Instead of: "I want to save more money," try: "I will increase my savings by $2,500 over the next 12 months."

Measurable: Reviewing your goals and documenting or measuring your progress daily will help you to make the choices that continually point you in the right direction. For example, documenting your workouts and the foods and drinks that pass through your lips, as well as using the same scale to weigh yourself, are ways to measure your progress toward your weight-loss goal.

Attainable: Is your goal realistically attainable? Using weight loss as the example again, if you are naturally stocky or big-boned, for example, setting a weight-loss goal that would be difficult for a supermodel to achieve isn't realistic and probably not attainable. In fact, setting unrealistic goals likely will result in burnout and failure.

Reasonable: Part of your action plan for losing weight might include getting some form of exercise every day, drinking more water and using smaller plates. Are these lifestyle changes reasonable and sustainable? If so, you are on your way to permanently achieving your goal. If not, you'll need to determine what steps are reasonable to you.

Timely: To successfully achieve your goals, you must set completion dates. Setting timelines for each task gives you clear targets and deadlines. Without completion dates, your goal will always be open ended and much more likely to remain unachieved. Set a realistic time frame for completion and move forward every day until your goal is reached.

Evaluate: Continually evaluating your progress will help reveal your weak points and identify the areas that need improving. This process also helps you evaluate if your time and efforts are being spent wisely.

Reorganize: Once you have determined what works and what doesn't, make the necessary adjustments to your approach to maintain focus and stay on track. Continue to regroup and reorganize your efforts until you know you are on a stable path toward success. If something isn't helping you achieve a particular goal, rethink the process and find a better way.