Two Key Notes for Success: Set SMART Goals and Bounce Back with Resilience

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If you want to fulfill the promises you make to yourself, consider using a tool like SMART goal setting combined with a spirit of resilience. Following an exhilarating week of special events in Cleveland, my mind keeps gravitating to these two themes that emerged, one from the Ideastream public radio pledge drive and the other from the Shaker Heights High School Alumni Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

During the Ideastream radio show, we spelled out the method of setting SMART goals. Experts in the field of self-improvement often recommend the SMART system, stating that your goals must be Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic and Timed.  The SMART method applies to whatever goals you want to achieve, whether it's running a marathon, losing weight, finding a mate or moving up the corporate ladder.  And I'm proud to say that we walked the talk by meeting our fund-raising goal for the two-hour special! To see a specific example of how to set SMART goals for weight loss, revisit the blog post "Get Real Results with SMART Goals."

The other key note emerged from the personal stories of the inductees into the Shaker Heights High School Hall of Fame.  I was in the illustrious company of an astrophysicist, an ornithologist, and a film director, among others.  For some of us the path to our achievements was never a straight line, but a circuitous one that involved set backs and detours. Coping with road blocks and finding ways to move forward involves a resilient spirit.  You can see more about resilience in two of my recent posts, "Resilience:  Bouncing Back with Spirit" and "Seven Habits of Highly Resilient People."

A clear purpose and effective coping mechanism will allow you to follow your dreams. Keep your eye on your goal and be flexible to modify your plan if life intervenes. Your goals in exercise are a great opportunity to apply this type of thinking!

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