S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting Done Right

Without dreams and goals, there is no living, only merely existing, and that is not why we are here.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals: Every business, large or small, sets goals. Measuring your goals is fundamental to your business success. That much is indisputable.

However, during my time as a Realtor, we were taught to set very high goals, regardless of our own level of experience. As a new agent, I was encouraged to set much higher goals than I knew would ever achieve.

"Reach higher" was the mantra. Well, yes, you should always aim higher but ...

Looking back, I realize that the "pie in the sky" method of goal setting just didn't work for me personally.  In fact, when I failed to reach the first goal, I beat myself up and became highly discouraged which affected my performance going forward.

Every year a new instructor was brought in who would "rally the troops" as it were. They would hype everyone up and it was easy to fall in line. You came out of the classes with a feel-good mantra in your head because of the energy in the room but that soon wore off and you are left staring at this unrealistic list of goals in front of you.

In fact, using the strategies they were pushing, did more harm than good for me.  Each time I failed to reach a goal, it dragged me down and ate away at my self-confidence. It does work for some, but I suspect it hasn't worked for many other real estate agents. Otherwise, the percentage of agents who give up and drop out would be much lower than 80%.

My goal is not to be better than anyone else but to be better than I used to be. - Wayne Dyer

A More Achievable Strategy

S.M.A.R.T. goal setting is a much more reasonable method of achieving your ultimate goals for business success. It's a way of clarifying your ideas, focus on one thing at a time, use your time and energy productively that will increase your chances of what you want in life.

Your goals should be realistic and something you know you can achieve in a reasonable time. A goal setting strategy should not be some high pedestal from which you're more likely to fall off.

It works because you are simply starting one baby step at a time. Anyone can take a baby step, right? Then another and another that consistently gets you to the ultimate goal.

The S.M.A.R.T. acronym stands for :

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Timely

Utilizing the SMART method will help ensure that your objectives are attainable within your specified timeframe.  This approach not only sets achievable milestones but even if you should fall short on one of them, catching up is attainable.

Most impossible goals can be met simply by breaking them down into bite-size chunks, writing them down, believing them, and going full speed ahead as if they were routine.

Be Specific

What exactly is the ultimate goal at hand. If you have several goals, simply take them one at a time or organize them by priority. Choose the one goal you are most motivated to achieve and break it down first.

The goal should be very clear and specific. You can take a larger goal and then break it down into smaller, achievable goals. Go through these five questions for each goal you set.

• What do I want to achieve?
• Why is it important?
• Who else is involved?
• Where is it located?
• Which resources can I utilize?

EXAMPLE:

Say you want to maximize your business' online presence and exposure.. Creating a steady stream of new leads every month and build up your pipeline organically (without paid ads) and close more deals every month.

Break it down. How will you achieve it?

• Creating targeted social media campaigns.
• Stay active on group boards (once or twice a week)
• Integrate web chats, SMS, and messages with alerts so you can quickly respond to new inquiries.
• Utilize surveys and forms that funnel into a pipeline.
• Set up an automated AI (artificial intelligence) follow-up system so you don't ever miss a lead.
• Set up responsive AI automated workflows/funnels.
• Work with local lenders to promote their programs and services to your audience.
• Schedule out a steady stream of posts and short videos designed grow your audience.

Make Them Measurable

Keeping your goals measurable makes it possible to track your progress and stay motivated. Periodically analyzing your progress will help you to stay focused, meet your deadlines and stay highly motivated.

Be patient! Business success is rarely ever achieved quickly. There is usually a learning curve involved in achieving a new goal. Incorporate measurable and trackable benchmarks so you'll know how well you are progressing to achieving your goal.  Your measurable goal should answer:

• How much time is needed?
• What new skill do I need to learn to achieve the goal?
• How will I know when I've accomplished it?

EXAMPLE:

Unless you're already well versed in social media marketing strategies, you will have to obtain new skills in this area. You'll also have to utilize tools that will allow you to build a responsive system that will actively respond to new leads via SMS, web chats and email based on a new leads actions.

A good goal is like a strenuous exercise – it makes you stretch. - Mary Kay Ash