How to Create SMART Goals for 2021

We've all been there before after New Year's Day.

This will be the year!

It's finally going to happen!

And then, as statistics show, the metaphorical gym membership is canceled by March.

This post will outline a process you can use to change all that. I can't claim to have invented this (you can find it all over the internet). But it applies to music and life, so it has a place here on the blog. 

SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and with a Time Limit.

I'll include some headings in case you're in a hurry, and include a music example and a life example (the classic weight-loss example).

Specific - Have the Endpoint in Mind

You need to know when you have reached your goal. Saying "I want to practice more" or "I want to lose weight" is too fuzzy to drive action. Instead, you can try. 

I want to learn 30 pieces of music.

or

I want to lose 30 pounds.

Now we're talking.

Measurable - If It's Not Measured, It Doesn't Exist

This goes hand in hand with specificity. You need to be able to measure and track your progress crystal clear. This is the only way you know if you're headed in the right direction. To continue with the music and weight loss analogies:

How many pieces of music did I learn this week?

or

How many pounds did I lose this week?

Now you have your speedometer on.

Attainable - No, You Can't Climb Mount Everest in a Week

Your goals must of course be realistic. A good way to figure this out is to talk to a professional (your teacher or trainer). Or, you can do some research and see what other people like you have done (avoid gurus, fanatics, or "prodigies").

On the other hand, don't make it too easy.

Given that attainability (I think that's a word?) is different for everyone, here are some examples of what not to do:

I want to learn Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 (for a student in his second year of piano lessons).

or

I want to lose 100 pounds in two weeks (for most humans).

There's no easier way to discourage yourself than setting an impossible goal.

Relevant - You Have to Want to Do It

Your goals need to be yours, and you need to be excited about them. Otherwise, there's nothing to keep the momentum moving. 

If someone else is asking or requiring you to do these things, then it's just not as fun.

Time Limit - Set an End Date

This is the gold, right here - the time limit.

This creates tension, which we all experience in different ways. If something costs $10 and will forever cost $10, you could easily procrastinate forever. If something costs $10, but it will increase to $20 in 5 days, you will naturally start to pay attention more.

So, take your goal and set an end date.

I want to learn 30 pieces of music in the next six months.

or

I want to lose 30 pounds in four months.

Let the games begin!

Putting it All Together

A great way to put all of this together is (to quote Stephen Covey) to begin with the end in mind.

Fast forward to your end point (time limit). What does life look like? Then, back track to figure out what you need to do each week or each day to get there.

Let's stick with the music analogy for this one.

I want to have learned 30 pieces of music in three months (12 weeks). Specific, attainable, and relevant.

Now, let's reverse-engineer that. What do you have to do each week to get there?

30 pieces divided over 12 weeks comes to 2.5 pieces of music per week. Now, we have some measurability happening and can see crystal clear if you are staying on track.

And then, what do you need to do on a daily basis to get to those 2.5 pieces of music? How difficult should the music be to make that completely attainable?

Now you have your action plan.

Let's Do This

With this process, you can lay out your plan and adjust each week as needed. While your chances of success are much greater, even if you don't reach your goal, at least you'll know why and can try something different next time.

There it is. Go for it. I can't wait to hear about everything you do in 2021.