Have you been wondering how you can be SMART when making your New Year's resolution? Despite the fact that more New Year's resolutions are broken each year than any other goal, we still look forward to opening that brand new calendar and imagining the possibilities that lie ahead for the New Year.

If you plan on meeting the challenge of making a New Year's resolution, you may as well ensure that you make SMART choices, right?

SMART is an acronym for several different stages of the goal setting process. If you're planning to make a New Year's resolution, it's important to become familiar with what each letter stands for so that you can develop achievable resolutions.

The following represents SMART goals, broken down into an easy to understand manner:

1.      Specific. The first step to creating a SMART New Year's resolution is to be Specific. You can't just say "I want to lose weight" - that's a very general statement with no real meaning. Try saying "I want to lose ten pounds." That's more specific.

Whatever your specific goal is, write it down and post it where you will be reminded everyday.

2.      Measurable. The next step is to make sure that the goal is Measurable. When we set goals, it's important that we're able to measure levels of our achievement. By measuring, we can keep track of our progress and feel more motivated to move toward our final goal.

Make a chart or keep a journal to track your successes and achievements. Seeing a visual guide will help motivate you, especially during tough days.

3.      Attainable. Set goals that you know you can achieve, or that are Attainable for you. If you set a goal of losing one hundred pounds, for example, this is not attainable for a short-term goal, and you'll soon lose confidence. However, one pound a week is certainly an attainable goal.

If you have a very large goal, such as getting out of debt or losing a large amount of weight, break that large goal into much smaller goals or steps. Achieving a small goal every week will keep you determined to work harder and smarter.

4.      Realistic. The next aspect to the SMART New Year's resolution system is that your goal must also be Realistic. For example, setting a goal to win the Lottery is not particularly realistic. It's possible, but not probable. Also, it's not something you have any control over.

For maximum success and continued motivation, choose goals that are something you can realistically expect to accomplish, even if you need to divide the final goal into smaller attainable steps.

5.      Timely. The last aspect of the SMART system is Timely. When setting a New Year's resolution, you're much more likely to succeed if there's a time frame associated with the resolution. You may give yourself a month, six months, or the whole year - the choice is yours. The most important thing is that you take the time to set an end date.

Once you set a final deadline, work backwards and determine the deadlines of your smaller goals. Pacing yourself throughout the year is more beneficial and less stressful than saving all the work for the last month before your final deadline.

Here are some common unfocused New Year's resolutions and tips on how to turn them around into SMART resolutions that can bring you results:

 1.      Losing weight. How many of us make the resolution to "get in shape" or to simply "lose weight?" This isn't a specific goal, nor does it contain any sort of measurable timeline in which to perform the task.

A better solution would be to say, "I want to lose _____ pounds by _____ (date). I will do this by following these steps: (change of diet, exercise plan, etc.)." 

A specific goal establishes what you want to accomplish, by what time, identifies requirements and constraints, and lists benefits of reaching that goal.

2.      Spending more time with family. Another common New Year's resolution is to spend more time with family and friends. Again, you need to have a plan to do this. Simply stating that you will spend more time with your family won't make it happen. This may not even be a very attainable goal if you live far away from your family or can't give up time at the office.

Look at your schedule, evaluate your priorities, and make the necessary changes to free up the time you'll need to spend the extra hours with your family.
 

Establish exactly how many extra hours you need to make this happen. What will have to be rearranged? These are decisions you need to make to accomplish your goal.

3.      Quitting smoking. The average smoker tries to quit at least 4 times before he actually kicks the habit. Why? Because it's easy to get discouraged when you try one method and it doesn't work. You need to have numerous back-up plans because one product or method doesn't work for everyone.

Make sure the goals you set are realistic. Don't expect to stop smoking in a week or maybe even a month. You'll only become disheartened if you fail.

Set reasonable goals such as, "By ___ (date) I will only smoke ____ cigarettes a day." Slowly become less dependent on them until you reach your goal.

4.      Getting out of debt. This is a resolution that requires much planning and usually involves a change of lifestyle. If you're living in a cycle of debt, you need to plan a strategy to cut your spending dramatically, as well as pay off the debt you already have.

Set specific goals such as "I will have ____ (amount) paid off by _____ (date). I will do this by cutting ____ (amount) from my spending each week." Without a reasonable timeline in place, you'll slip back into your old habits.

If your total amount of debt is large, break the debt down into smaller, more attainable goals. Pay off one credit card at a time and take pride when you get that final statement with a zero balance. Also consider talking to a financial advisor who can help you set a reasonable plan for you to follow.

Making New Year's resolutions is very easy but those resolutions made without a clear plan in mind are prone to failure. It takes a little work to ensure that the resolutions you set are SMART. However, the SMART method can also ensure your success with an achievable plan! And that makes all the difference.

Brought to you by www.coachesplus.com