In SMART goal-setting, your “why” refers to the relevance that particular goal has in your life. Relevance is the “R” in SMART goals. This part of setting goals for yourself is crucial because it’s about ensuring that the goal is important to you. If the goals you set for yourself are not important to you, then you won’t feel like trying very hard to reach them. When the going gets tough on your journey to achieve your goal, it helps to remember your “why” for starting. Your goal should be relevant to what you want to accomplish in your life in order to stay motivated.
5 Questions To Ask Yourself To Determine If Your Goal Is Relevant
Goals should drive us forward towards something significant. The relevance of your goal should also align well with your other life plans. You can decide the relevance of a goal by asking yourself these five questions pertaining to the goal and your current life.
- Does the goal seem worthwhile? In other words, do you think the time and effort you will spend is worth the result?
- Is this the right time for this goal? How does this goal fit in with your personal life? Does it make sense financially?
- Does this goal align well with my other plans and goals? Are other aspects of your life driving you forward in the same direction?
- Am I the right person for this goal? In other words, is this goal attainable for you? Do you have the skills and ability for success in this goal?
- Is it applicable to my current life factors? Consider how your family, finances, and other essential parts of your life would be affected.
Think about the answers to these questions or even write them in your journal. The answers to these questions will help you determine the goal’s relevance in your life. Some of these questions are not necessarily straightforward, black and white. There are no wrong answers. You may need to dig down deep to answer some of these questions to find the real “why” of your desired goal. You should be able to gain an understanding if the goal is relevant enough for you to move forward. There’s not much point in putting time and effort into a goal that doesn’t really matter to you.
Examples Of Relevant Goals
An example of a relevant goal in someone’s life might be for them to get a promotion at their job. They know they need to take online courses to gain knowledge and experience for that desired position. This plan is worthwhile because it provides professional experience that will benefit them in the long run. The courses are available online, so they can easily be worked around their schedule. These online courses are affordable, so most likely, it’s a good time to do it as it makes financial sense. Completing these online courses will ultimately propel them forward toward an even bigger goal and the eventual promotion.
Another example of a relevant goal is for someone who wants to create better health. They want to feel better and hopefully prevent disease and prolong their life. They know that in order to meet this goal, they will need to change their diet, get enough sleep, and exercise more. This plan is worthwhile because the time and effort will be worth it when they feel more energetic and happier, and their clothes fit better on their bodies. The goal fits in well with their personal life because they are generally more active in the summertime anyway, and there is a lot of fresh local produce available for healthy eating. This goal really doesn’t impact their finances much, and the result may even save them money in medical costs. It fits in with their other plans and goals of wanting to be physically fit for everything they want to do in the future. This is an attainable goal because they have the ability and finances to exercise more and eat healthily right now. The goal is also applicable to their current life factors as their family will also benefit from healthy meals they enjoy together and staying active together.
Why Relevance Matters
The relevance of a goal is an integral part of goal-setting. Deciding if a goal is relevant helps you match your goals to the rest of your life. It helps you to know if the goal matters to you and if it’s the right time. In most cases, you will find that the goal is relevant to you, and you are determined to achieve that success.