Goals should be set specifically using SMART!

In business, setting objectives is essential. Goals are necessary to achieve objectives, and means are necessary to achieve goals. Previously, I often thought about things primarily from a business perspective, but since starting my second life, I have come to feel the importance of objectives and goals in my career plan, daily life, and private life as well.

Now, today I would like to write about how to set "goals".

Goals and means need to be specific. On the other hand, higher-level objectives and VISIONs are often expressed in abstract terms. Abstract refers to something that is somewhat understandable but not clear, or feels vague.

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What is abstract

As a result of several years of introspection about my life, I realized that for me, it is not about continuing to grow, but about continuing to change.

The process that led to this view was something I thought through thoroughly when retiring. Chasing dopamine-driven happiness is endless and only leads to exhaustion. I realized that it is about being in a state of oxytocin-driven happiness and serotonin-driven happiness, that is, a happiness of being satisfied with the present.

Not "becoming"happy, but "being"happy

This is the basis of my way of thinking about happiness.

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Using my MY VISION as an example

To write about abstract using my VISION as an example, I have defined it as, "I am grateful for all people and things." Generally, I think people often depict things they should aim for, things they want to reach, or their desired state. This is not general, is it? I wrote it in the present tense, or rather, the present progressive tense.

I did not say "I want to be able to be grateful" or "I aim to be able to be grateful."

I decided to maintain what I was already doing at the time I wrote it. That is because it fits perfectly with "not "},{

becoming happy, but "being"happy." It feels like I am happy now, and I will continue to be happy.

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Abstract means not specific.

What is happiness, specifically?
You want to ask, what does it mean to be grateful, specifically?

The fact that the question "What is it specifically?" comes to mind means that it is abstract.

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What is specific: SMART goal setting

There are goals for a purpose, and there are means for a goal. Goals must absolutely be specific. Furthermore, what constitutes achievement must be a shared understanding between yourself and others.

The SMART method is used for goal setting. When I was a company employee, there were five blank spaces next to S•M•A•R•T for goal setting, and we would fill them in during meetings.

Specific: Setting goals specifically is more important than anything else. This is because setting specific goals clarifies what actions are necessary, making it easier to create an action plan.

Measurable: It is important to be able to measure the degree of goal achievement quantitatively. This is because measuring goals quantitatively allows you to visualize progress and makes it easier to feel a sense of accomplishment. It ensures that the judgment of what constitutes achievement or non-achievement is a shared understanding between yourself and others.

Achievable: It is important that the goal is achievable. This is because if you set an unattainable goal, the hurdle will be too high, and your motivation will drop. This corresponds to the height of the ladder in the article I wrote yesterday.

Relevant: It is important that the goal is relevant to you. This is because if you set a goal that is not relevant to you, your motivation to work on it will decrease.

Time-bound: It is important to set a deadline for the goal. This is because setting a deadline makes you conscious of the time until the goal is achieved, allowing for planned action.

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I used this frequently in business and career planning. I didn't use it much in my private life, so while writing this note, I will try writing an example with a lower goal setting.

SMART Goal Setting Example 1

Goal: Improve English proficiency

Specific: Take 25-minute DMM Eikaiwa lessons on weekday mornings. Read long texts and read aloud the Daily News on weekends.

Measurable: Measure the lesson attendance rate out of the 5 weekdays every week. Measure the number of self-study sessions on weekends.

Achievable: By using the lesson time on the DMM Eikaiwa website as a guide, this becomes an achievable goal. Based on past lesson experience, I consider 5 lessons per week to be a numerical goal that is a bit of a challenge but achievable.

Relevant: Improving English proficiency is a necessary element for volunteer activities.

Time-bound: Set a deadline for the next overseas trip on 5/18.

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SMART Goal Setting Example 2

Goal: Maintain a healthy weight

Specific: Walk for 30 minutes and exercise for 10 minutes every morning. Maintain a weight of 62-64kg.

Measurable: Measure weight every day before bathing and record it in an app. Visualize it with a graph in the app.

Achievable: Since I am currently 63kg, keeping the fluctuation range within 2kg per month is an achievable goal. It is not good to gain too much, but I should also ensure I do not lose too much weight below 62kg.

Relevant:
Maintaining a target weight is necessary for maintaining health, so it is a goal relevant to my health-first philosophy.

Time-bound:
For now, I am not setting a deadline.

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I am writing this without much deep thought, so please use it only as a reference.

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