SMART goals or HEART goals?

I suspect that you have been taught to create SMART goals. You know, goals that are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time Based

Things like:

• Increase sales by 2% by December 31.
• Exercise four hours a week between now and June 15.
• Have a coaching conversation with each member of my staff in 2016.

These are goals for those who like to check the boxes, measure results, and make tangible progress visible.

However, lately I’ve been wondering if SMART goals only represent a tiny part of what really matters, what really makes a difference, what really makes for a life worth living. For I’ve seen what happens when we create SMART goals, especially when we are going to be measured (and rewarded) for them in a work setting. We think small – remember they must be achievable. We divide our work into small fragments, losing sight of the overarching purpose. We document the doable into a tiny time box.

I wonder what would happen if we also created HEART goals, ones that are:

• Holistic
• Enduring
• Aspirational
• Really Matter
• Timeless

Some examples:

• Provide experiences for our clients that dramatically improve their lives.
• Live a healthy and active life.
• Support and encourage my staff in ways that matter.

It seems that, at the end of the day (or month or year or your life), HEART goals are what really matter. That while amorphous, they provide meaningful guidance. That they can call us to be our best selves. And that we intuitively know when we are living up to our HEART goals without using yardsticks and spreadsheets.

The reason SMART goals are effective is that they provide a way to break big things into smaller pieces that can be measured. However, you have to know what the BIG thing is. My suggestion: start with a HEART goal and then, and only then, create SMART goals in support of it.

I’m curious! What HEART goals do you have?