Using SMART Goals in Your Network Marketing Business

What are SMART goals?

If you are running a home business, it is important to be extremely focused and you must have clear goals. Using SMART Goals is a great way to make sure your goals are positive for your business, that they will help you, not hinder you.

SMART goals are defined by a specific set of criteria that are applied to your goals. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound.

So what makes goals SMART goals?

Specific: the objectives must be specific. Often times, our goals are a bit vague, it is almost impossible to measure whether we reached them or not. For example, a statement like “I’ll save money” is not specific enough. How will you know if and when you have reached your goal? Saying, “I will save at least 10% of my income” is more specific. You know exactly what your goal is and what you need to do to achieve it.

Measurable – You must be able to measure your results. For example, you may want to get more leads or prospects in your business. But “generate more leads” is an ambiguous statement. A measurable goal is “I will generate 5-10 leads per day by next month.” It is an easy target to measure.

Achievable – You must be able to achieve your goal. It’s okay to aim high, but if your goal is to make $ 10,000 a day in your first week in network marketing, it’s not realistic. Make it affordable: “I want to make $ 3000 per month in 6 months in my business”, or whatever your number is, but don’t make it so difficult that you don’t have a chance to achieve it.

Realistic: Are your goals realistic? When we are children we think we can do anything. As adults we learn that while we can have a lot, we cannot have it all at the same time. It is important to honestly evaluate yourself. Do you have the ability and commitment to make your dream come true? Or do you need a little adjustment? For example, you may want to be a professional tennis player, but do you have the drive and commitment to achieve it? Do you want to be the next Roger Federer? Be honest with yourself.

Time limit: Goals must have a set time frame. Having a deadline will give structure to your goals. For example, many of us want to find a new job or start our own business. Some people spend a lot of time talking about what they want to do one day. But, without an end date, there is no sense of urgency, there is no reason to take any action today. Having a specific time frame gives you the impetus to get started. It also helps you monitor your progress.

So next time you decide to set some goals, make sure they are SMART. Make sure the goal is something positive, not something that will only lead to failure.

Is your goal SMART? Use this checklist to see if you meet:

• Specific – You know exactly what the goal is.
• Measurable – You can measure how far you have come towards the final goal.
• Realizable – The objective takes into account your particular situation at that moment.
• Realistic – The objective reflects your skills, resources and ability to achieve a specific result.
• Timed – There is a defined time frame against which progress towards the goal can be tracked.

Using SMART Goals will become second nature every time you plan for your business!