When S.M.A.R.T. Goals Are Not Enough

This blog will be my example of what happens when you don't identify the steps necessary to meet your goal. I said I wanted to write something new in this blog once a week, and I started out fairly well in January, but went downhill quickly after that. At first, seeing the stats of my readership kept me going. (Who knew I could have readers in Latvia or Indonesia?) I have now gone over six weeks without writing anything here. Where did I go wrong?

My goal was Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, and Time-bound: I will write and post one blog entry per week. Umm, I think I mentioned that the steps have to work for your personality too, and this one misses something crucial. I need someone or something outside of me to notice if I either meet the goal or keep working the steps to meet it. (I'm externally motivated like that, as opposed to some people who do not seem to need positive feedback from anyone but themselves.) The checklist was not the only key to the weight loss process last year; having people say they missed me in class when I was not there was also important!

Similarly, my goal to earn more money... no outside feedback if I did or did not, applied for jobs or did not, whatever. Similarly, my goal to put skim milk in my coffee more often than cream — didn't happen. The cardio classes kept up; people missed me. Spending time on the weight workouts went downhill once I couldn't match schedules with my workout partner.

What did I learn from this? If I truly want to reach a goal, I must build in some kind of outside positive feedback for working the process, doing the steps to reach it. I'm considering asking a friend to be my weekly draft nag ("Have you written a draft yet? Send me a copy!"). Suggestions for things you wish I would write about would also be positive feedback. Apparently I'm not one of those writers who can labor in solitude indefinitely, not minding if anyone ever sees their work.

So, let me know if you miss me in class, at work, or posting on Loraine Says So. For now, I've just been invited out to dinner so this entry ends here.