How to Set and Accomplish SMART Goals as a Dad

Episode Overview on How to Set and Accomplish SMART Goals as a Dad:

Larry and Shawn give you a New Year’s gut check on your New Year’s Resolutions. Providing realistic and specific strategies to help you set and accomplish smart goals as a dad, you will come away from this episode feeling recharged to have a stellar 2016!

Key Takeaways:

The streamers litter the floor, intertwined with glittery confetti and rapidly deflating balloons. Half-full champaign bottles are stacked like the haphazard beer can pyramids, reminiscent of the after effects of a frat party.

Looking around, you can’t help but compare these sad-looking post New Year’s party favors to your quickly fading New Year’s resolutions. Actually, you’re not the only one feeling this dismay. Over 50% of people have given up on their resolutions after 6 months. But wait! There is hope!

You have to be SMART. You need to set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Sensitive (SMART) goals. Using this method helps you to stick to those resolutions that sometimes get away.

Specific

General resolutions like, “I want to lose weight” are great aspirations, but not very specific ways to accomplish smart goals as a dad. So, make the goal more narrow like, “I want to lose (amount of weight)by (insert reasonable deadline here!).” This way, you are able to make yourself more accountable because your goal is more real.

Measurable

A natural second step to specificity is making your goal measurable. Let’s say you want to go on a vacation next winter with your family. There are certain costs associated with this goal like air fare and hotel accommodations (not to mention dining and the numerous amounts of commemorative t-shirts you’ll end up stuffing in your luggage). Once you have that set amount, look at how much money you can put away towards this vacation each month. This way, that fun vacation is top of mind and you will have plenty of money when the time comes!

Achievable

Ah…yes. Losing those last 10 pounds can be the hardest thing to do and you aren’t going to do it in 2 days, let alone 2 weeks (I don’t care what the tabloids tell you). Do your research on your goal and what is reasonable to achieve in a given amount of time. This way, you will not sabotage your efforts and are on a better path to seeing results.

Relevant

Why do you want to lose that weight or go on that vacation? Is it just because you thought it sounded good or because the neighbors took an awesome trip last year they won’t stop talking about? How are these reasons relevant to your values? Gut check yourself and identify the core motivator for accomplishing your goal.

Time Sensitive

Your goals should have a deadline. This way, you have better idea of what to achieve by what day and have fun checking off the mile markers along the way!

Once you have set your goal, review it and make sure it meets all of the SMART criteria. Having a road-map for your resolutions will help you avoid having your resolutions fall to the proverbial post New Year’s ball room floor.

Free Resources:

Check out a free chapter from: THE DAD’S EDGE on UNLIMITED PATIENCE HERE

Check out this free resource on: CONNECTION WITH YOUR SPOUSE

Check out this free resource on:  CONNECTION WITH YOUR KIDS

Links

• Amazon Bestselling Book: The Dad’s Edge – 9 Simple Ways to Have: Unlimited Patience, Improved Relationships, and Positive Lasting Memories
• Larry’s New Course:  The Dad’s Edge – 6 Strategies to Achieve:  Unlimited Patience, Improved Relationships, and Positive Lasting Memories
• Larry’s Twitter Page
• Larry’s Facebook Page
• Larry’s Instagram Page
• Shawn’s Website
• Shawn’s Twitter Page
• Shawn’s Facebook Page
• Shawn’s Instagram Page

Links Mentioned:

• John Lee Dumas Freedom Journal  <- Click the link
• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up <- Click the link
• The article is also featured on The Good Men Project by Larry Hagner

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