The SMART Way To Reach Your Dreams
Our busy lives can feel like a daily game of whack-a-mole. Things you love to do and things you have to do are all competing for your time. The daily grind can cloud your long-term vision for success.
Ever feel like the daily hustle is hijacking your dreams? You’re not alone, and fear not: We’ve collected some insider secrets from our HR and learning/development experts to help you turn those wishful thoughts into tangible victories.
1. Think Through What You Want
Pinpoint what you want, what you really, really want. Sometimes this first crucial step is the hardest, so spend some quality time on this step. What does your vision of business and personal fulfillment look like?
At Audigy we’re big on personal, professional, and financial goals, also known as “PPFs”:
- Personal
What floats your boat? What gets you out of bed every day? Why do you do what you do? Maybe seeing more of the world or spending more time with family sounds like heaven. This is where your heart has a say and your personal goals come into play. - Professional
This centers on your areas of expertise. Thinking of breaking into a new field? Want to level up your practice? Are you a front-office staff member wanting to train to become an audiology technician, a hearing aid dispenser — or even an audiologist? Dream big, the world is your oyster. - Financial
Let’s face it, money matters. Planning to study, travel, or invest in bettering your business? Break out the calculator.
PPFs provide focus, motivation, and a foundation for accountability. “One of my favorite quotes is ‘A goal without a plan is just a wish,’” shared Sager, “and so often we have these moments in our lives of thinking, ‘I wish I would see my friends more,’ ‘I really want to travel more,’ or ‘I really want to read more.’ We say all these things all the time, but without actually having a plan in place, it’s just a wish.”
2. Remember The SMART Method
The decades-old SMART approach to creating goals remains tried and true. SMART stands for “specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound” — a prescription for reaching the finish line.
- Specific
Nail down the details. Want to travel more? Where? When? For how long?
Flesh out the nitty-gritty, because nonspecific goals — for example, a general pledge to travel — won’t provide enough direction for success. - Measurable
“More” is not a number. Slap on some digits – like “10% more” or “5 times more than last year.” You need a finish line, a fixed result you can reach and celebrate. - Attainable
Keep it real. Signing up for an ultramarathon next week? Ambitious. Prepping for next year? That’s the ticket. Toss in some milestones — maybe a half-marathon first? Ensure you’re setting yourself up for success. - Relevant
Creating goals that pack personal meaning can go a long way toward motivating you. Make sure the goals will enrich your life, putting that fire in your belly to ensure you’re creating the life you want. - Time-Bound
Does your goal include a start date, a due date, and milestones to help track your progress? Dates and milestones are key. Eyeing Hawaii by year’s end? Set regular checkpoints, like squirreling away $500 a month. Get that progress bar moving.
3. Spill the Beans
If you blab about your goal, you’re more likely to achieve it. Accountability is key. Sharing your personal, professional, and financial goals with colleagues or friends creates an expectation and something for them to root for! Letting people down doesn’t feel good, and that can be a motivating factor. For professional goals, it’s best to share these with your workplace mentor or supervisor, again for accountability.
4. Regular Check-Ins: Because Life Happens
Goals can evolve, so be sure to review them periodically — at least once a year. Quarterly is ideal, especially when you set new goals every year. There’s value in being able to either celebrate or course-correct those milestones. Check-ins show your mentors and supervisors that you’re not just dreaming, you’re doing. Professional goals are often developed in tandem with a supervisor or manager because of the specific opportunities within the business that may fulfill some of your passions.
5. Count On Audigy
Audigy helps businesses and their teams set and achieve goals every day. We offer key goal-setting (and achieving!) resources — including an online personal, professional, and financial goals platform for members and staff to ensure success. It’s an effective tool that walks participants through the PPF process from a practice owner’s standpoint as well as the employee’s. They enter their personal, professional, and financial goals for the year and can monitor their progress throughout the year through a percentage measurement — we call it a progression tool.
Being able to see an actual percentage increase every single month is a tangible way to see how much closer you are to that next celebration of a milestone.