Canteen Fundas: Always set goals that provoke action

Rakesh bhaiyya,’ said Rinku. ‘Rahul has no plans for his life.’
‘Really?’ smiled Rakesh.
‘I want to get a good job and be successful,’ said Rinku.
‘Me too, bhaiyya,’ said Rahul. ‘Be rich. CEO types.’
‘Good. But you need to know how to set goals properly to make your dreams come true.’
‘What’s wrong with our goals bhaiyya?’ they asked.
‘They are more ‘hopes’ than goals,’ said Rakesh. ‘They do not provoke action. A good goal motivates, inspires and drives action. Set SMART goals.’
‘What’s that, bhaiyya?’
‘A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. Do you have a clear picture of your goal? Specific goals help comprehend challenges and prepare accordingly. Words like ‘Successful’ and ‘CEO’ are not specific enough. CEO of one of the top 10 companies is specific. A different preparation is required to earn 1 million and 100 million.’
‘M is measurable’ said Rakesh. ‘Define your goals in measurable terms like a rank or bank balance. For example, rich is not measurable, 10 million is. When a goal is measurable, you can monitor and improve.’
‘Measurable goals have a number then,’ said Rahul.
‘Yes,’ smiled Rakesh. ‘A stands for Achievable. If your goal appears achievable, you will act and achieve it. An achievable goal pushes you to work for it.’
‘Oh,’ said Rahul. ‘I wanted to be the President of the USA. That’s out then.’
‘I think so,’ laughed Rakesh. ‘Your goal should be Relevant to your overall objectives.’
‘Finally, T stands for Time-bound. Time-bound goals force you to plan and execute efficiently. A goal of losing two kgs is different from losing two kgs in two weeks, right? Clearly, the second goal has more chances.’
‘I’ll set SMART goals from now on,’ said Rinku.
‘My goal now is to secure 80 per cent,’ said Rahul.
‘That’s SMART,’ laughed Rakesh. ‘Let’s all order masala chai right now, instead of hoping for a hot beverage.’
Pro tip: A specific, challenging goal drives you to prepare towards achieving it through purposeful action.