Okay. So I'm going to cheat a little with this blog. Well, not really. I recently wrote a piece on creating goals for the latest Richmond Weddings Magazine. For local brides, check out their site to see where you can get a free copy. You can see the full article there, plus the magazine is gorgeous and filled with tons of planning information. I'm not going to copy the article; but I do want to let brides in on the SMART concept.
As you plan your wedding, you'll find you have many goals that need to be accomplished. A good way to head in that direction is to use the SMART method. SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, actionable or achievable, realistic, and time-bound. Let's look at each of those briefly.
Specific: Goals have to be specific or detailed enough that you know what you need to do in order to accomplish it. You can't simply say, "I want to look good for my wedding." That statement can mean any number of things. Instead, define what "looking good" means. Are you talking about losing weight, toning up, or getting a makeover? Once you're specific about what you want, move on to the next letter.
Measurable: How will you know if you achieved your goal or how will it be measured? Answers might include achieving a certain weight, getting a new hairstyle, or resolving a skin problem. You know you can measure it because, you know your intended outcome.
Actionable/Achievable: Having a goal means you actually have to take some action or achieve something on your own accord to get the desired result. Winning the lottery, wouldn't be a good goal since it's based on luck rather than you working at accomplishing a goal.
Realistic: Brides, please make your goals realistic given your finances, time, and other commitments. Unrealistic goals or ones that are way out of reach are doomed to failure. Wedding professionals and others can keep you in check in terms of what might be doable or not.
Time-Bound: Finally, give yourself an end date to see your results. By default, your wedding date will be one way to keep your goals time-bound, but there are many other wedding goals that need to be accomplished prior to the big day. Think guest list, invitations, gift registry, etc. By giving yourself due dates, you're much more likely to follow through and be on top of your to-do list.
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