SMART Goals |
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Do you have life goals?
Do you know what you want to achieve in 3, 5 or 10 years?
Numerous researches confirmed that having life goals increases our efficiency, our results, our success, and provides us with increased well-being! Defining clear goals maximises our chances to reach them.
Our life as an expatriate is not linear. We face many changes, the unknown, uncertainty, and we might be constantly moving from one expatriation to another. With these circumstances it is easy to lose sight of our life goals. We might even be tempted to say: Why should I have goals when I don’t even know where I will be in two years? It is because we are confronted with the unknown that goals are so important.
Life goals help us keep sight of what we truly desire and not lose ourselves along the journey, they give meaning to our life and maximise the chances of reaching our goals. It can be compared to a boat navigating at sea. The captain knows the departure and destination and keeps course whatever happens during the journey (a storm, mechanical problems, port change, sick passenger…) to eventually reach the destination.
Numerous researches confirmed that having life goals increases our efficiency, our results, our success, and provides us with increased well-being! Defining clear goals maximises our chances to reach them.
Our life as an expatriate is not linear. We face many changes, the unknown, uncertainty, and we might be constantly moving from one expatriation to another. With these circumstances it is easy to lose sight of our life goals. We might even be tempted to say: Why should I have goals when I don’t even know where I will be in two years? It is because we are confronted with the unknown that goals are so important.
Life goals help us keep sight of what we truly desire and not lose ourselves along the journey, they give meaning to our life and maximise the chances of reaching our goals. It can be compared to a boat navigating at sea. The captain knows the departure and destination and keeps course whatever happens during the journey (a storm, mechanical problems, port change, sick passenger…) to eventually reach the destination.
Coaching to clarify and define your goals
Clarifying and defining your goals is an essential part of the coaching process. We work on:
During the coaching engagement, you will define and write down quality goals. By doing so, you will naturally create a new habit that will have time to develop and anchor. You are going to be surprised to discover that setting-up goals becomes natural and systematic: an invaluable tool for success in your personal and professional life.
- Your life and career goals: they are clarified, defined and supported with a clear strategy and an effective action plan to reach them.
- Your coaching goals: the goal of the coaching engagement, between each session, for the end of one session, and more.
During the coaching engagement, you will define and write down quality goals. By doing so, you will naturally create a new habit that will have time to develop and anchor. You are going to be surprised to discover that setting-up goals becomes natural and systematic: an invaluable tool for success in your personal and professional life.
What is a quality goal?
To be of quality, and therefore effective, a goal should be:
- Stated positively
- In accordance with your values
- Congruent (coming from you, not being imposed externally)
- Optimistic
- Ambitious
- Motivational
- Re-assessable
- And above all, it should be SMART!
A SMART goal means...
Specific - What do I want to achieve with this goal?
The more precise you are, the higher the chances are to obtain exactly what you want. Specific goals have a greater success rate than general goals.
Example: Instead of “I would like to be a millionaire”, to specify “I would like to earn 20’000$ per month for the next five years by creating a new software product.”
Measurable - How would I know I have reached my goal?
Reduce your goal to elements that you can measure or quantify. You need concrete proof that you have reached your goal.
Example: Instead of “Feeling good”, to specify “To eat vegetables at each meal and to do work out twice a week.”
Achievable - Is my goal accessible?
The goal should be at the same time ambitious and realistic. You have to balance the effort, the time and the constraints of this goal with your needs, benefits and priorities.
Example: To reach a goal, it is necessary to make a choice between working every day until 11pm and finding a goal that allows you to come home on time to put your children to bed.
Relevant - Is my goal pertinent?
The goal should come from within (and not be imposed from the outside). It should be pertinent, motivational and in accordance with your values.
Example: The goal targets a personal behavioural change and not one in your spouse.
Time-bounded - When do I want to reach my goal?
We need a deadline to act. It should be realistic and flexible to keep up the motivation.
Example: A goal planned for next year can be divided into semesters, trimesters, months or weeks in order to be able to evaluate the progress made.
The more precise you are, the higher the chances are to obtain exactly what you want. Specific goals have a greater success rate than general goals.
Example: Instead of “I would like to be a millionaire”, to specify “I would like to earn 20’000$ per month for the next five years by creating a new software product.”
Measurable - How would I know I have reached my goal?
Reduce your goal to elements that you can measure or quantify. You need concrete proof that you have reached your goal.
Example: Instead of “Feeling good”, to specify “To eat vegetables at each meal and to do work out twice a week.”
Achievable - Is my goal accessible?
The goal should be at the same time ambitious and realistic. You have to balance the effort, the time and the constraints of this goal with your needs, benefits and priorities.
Example: To reach a goal, it is necessary to make a choice between working every day until 11pm and finding a goal that allows you to come home on time to put your children to bed.
Relevant - Is my goal pertinent?
The goal should come from within (and not be imposed from the outside). It should be pertinent, motivational and in accordance with your values.
Example: The goal targets a personal behavioural change and not one in your spouse.
Time-bounded - When do I want to reach my goal?
We need a deadline to act. It should be realistic and flexible to keep up the motivation.
Example: A goal planned for next year can be divided into semesters, trimesters, months or weeks in order to be able to evaluate the progress made.
