Any time you set a goal, whether it's personal or professional, it should always be SMART.
That means it should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based.
David Sant, Chief Marketing Officer for Cyprus Credit Union, joined us with a closer look at what each of these terms means.
SPECIFIC
If a goal is vague, such as `I want to make more money`, there`s a good chance you won`t achieve it because it doesn't leave you with much direction. Making a goal very specific such as, `I want to increase my overall savings this year by 2%` gives you a clear course and will help you create a plan to get you there.
MEASURABLE
Having a goal without some form of measurement for success is like having a basketball game without a way to keep score. While you may have a general idea of what`s going on, there`s no way to track exactly how you`re doing. Use a concrete timeline and constantly be checking to see if you are on track.
ATTAINABLE
While saying that you want to build a billion-dollar business is a great dream, it`s probably not attainable right off the bat. Start with small, short-term goals that you can reach quickly. As you continue to progress, you can start setting bigger and longer-termed goals.
RELEVANT
Goals you make need to either be related to your current financial situation or based on where you`d like to be in the future. For example, any short-term goals you make should align with your long-term life plans.
TIME-BASED
If a goal goes on forever without a specific endpoint the chances of reaching it are pretty slim. When first setting your goal, ensure you have a firm timeline in place and have checkpoints to make sure that you are on track along the way.
You can learn more financial advice at: cypruscu.com.
