An Extra Hour Every Day

The better you define your goals the more likely you are to achieve them. SMART stands for a method to define goals in such a way:

• Specific: This means the What, Why and How of a goal. Instead of saying that you want to lose weight you set a specific goal such as I want to loose 5 kg of weight.
• Measurable: If you cannot measure the goal it will be almost impossible to measure your progress. I want to be a good runner is not measurable, but I want to run 3 times a week with a total distance of 30 kilometers is.
• Able to influence: A goal should mean a stretch but it you should somehow be able to influence it. You must at least have a vague idea on how you can get there. Otherwise it is very likely that you will quickly loose track and give up on that goal.
• Realistic: Realistic does not mean easy. It means that you have the basic requirements and that you devise a plan of the steps to get there. On the other hand set the bar high enough, so that can feel satisfaction when you achieved the goal.
• Time bound: Set a timeframe by when you want to achieve this goal so that you have a clear target. This will create a sense of urgency and force you to start and complete concrete actions.