A Goal, without a Plan, is just a Dream!

Interviewer – “What is your career goal?”.

Candidate 1 – “I want to be a manager in an organisation”.

Candidate 2 – “My short-term goal is to become a Financial Analyst, in a renowned multi-national corporation, managing a team and earning a 7-figure salary, within the next 2 years.”

Now, which candidate, according to you, has a better chance of achieving the goal?

Goals that are not expressed in clear terms have lesser probability of being achieved.

S.M.A.R.T is a widely accepted technique of expressing one’s goals in a clear manner.

S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Relevant
T – Time-bound

Let’s look at a few S.M.A.R.T Goals –

• Score 10% more in my next end-term examination.
• Read 6 books on self-development within this year.
• Do 45 minutes exercise everyday to lose 5 kg body weight within the next 3 months.
• Save 20% of my income every month for the next one year.
• Start and maintain SIPs in equity mutual fund schemes to create a corpus of Rs. 5 crore for my retirement, which is 25 years from now.
• Travel to Switzerland with my family, in the year 2033, for which I will accumulate Rs. 30 lacs (as per future prices) through equity-oriented investments.
• Insure my family against the risk of my death by purchasing a Term Insurance Plan with Sum Assured of Rs. 1 crore, before the current financial year is over.

I am sure you have understood my point by now. Like I said, a goal without a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound plan, is just a dream.

So, make your goals S.M.A.R.T and write them down somewhere. Read, re-read and affirm them regularly. Believe me, it will give you a purpose and a clear path towards your desired outcome.