Great Objectives ensure you achieve your hearts desires…

Having a vision, or “grand design” is one thing – but without activities it will always remain only a vision!
The best objectives, and by that I mean ones that are achieved and celebrated, all have these elements in common:

1. Good Wording

   – start your objective with a verb (doing word) to focus on keeping you moving
   Ask  what are you going to do? e.g. what activities will achieve this goal?

2. One clear measure

   – include a metric; Dollars, Number of, Percentage
   Ask how will we capture progress? e.g. number of sit-ups in one minute

3. Realistic Target

   – lock in an end value; make it a stretch but achievable
   Ask where do you want the measure to get to? e.g. 20 sit-ups in one minute

4. Timeframe

   – a period during which you will achieve the target
   Ask by when will the target be reached? e.g. by 1 Feb 2013

5. Actions

   – activities undertaken to stay on track and achieve objective
   Ask what actions to you need to take this week/month to move you closer to your target? e.g. start by doing 20 sit-ups every third day and increase my sit-up speed to reach target

6. Tracking

   – regular monitoring of progress and adjustment of actions if needed
   Ask how are we going? e.g. do a time trial once a week and log in diary to assess if I need to make any changes

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For Example: I set a goal
Achieve 20 sit-ups in 1 minute by the 1st November 2012
I start with 20 sit-ups every third day and increase my sit-up speed until I reach my target. My Diary will record my times each week to monitor progress and taking further exercise if necessary.
 

Do your objectives past the “6 Element Test”?