Writing down your goals increases their power and 10x’s your odds of achieving them. We follow a format called S.M.A.R.T goal-setting.
The acronym stands for:
Specific – A specific goal is one that is well-defined and specific.
Measurable – A measurable goal has specific criteria to help measure your progress towards your goal.
Attainable – An attainable goal is achievable and not impossible to attain.
Relevant – You want your goals to be relevant to your vision.
Time-Based – Goals should have a specifically defined deadline, with a start date and target date for fulfillment.
A non-S.M.A.R.T goal would be to get better grades. A S.M.A.R.T goal would be to raise my math grade from a B to an A by the end of the current marking period on March 31st.
In addition to the S.M.A.R.T framework, we also stress developing short, mid-range and long-term goals. The martial arts is unique because it has goal-setting built in as an integral part of the process. The karate belt system is the perfect example of short, mid and long-term goals.
By achieving a Black Belt, you will become accomplished at goal-setting and achieving as well!