This month we have been sharing about the power of taking action in our lives. We’ve discussed how taking Right Action leads to lasting change as well as how to break the patterns of fear that often immobilize us from taking action.
This week we are going to explore how you can take Right Action in your own life.
Having a clear intention helps tremendously in achieving your goals. It is the difference between shooting an arrow into the sky and hoping it lands where you want it to vs. shooting an arrow at a target.
One way we love to approach setting clear intentions at COR is through using the SMART Goal method. We teach the SMART acronym in our complimentary 4-week follow-up programs to support healthy integration after our workshops complete.
So what does SMART stand for and how can you use this to support yourself in taking Right Action in your life?
To make sure your intentions/goals are clear, consider whether it is:
Specific– Goals should be simplistically written and clearly define what you are going to do. Specific is the What, Why, and How of the SMART goal model.
Measurable– Goals should be measurable so that you have tangible evidence that you have accomplished the goal. This is the difference between saying, “I want to be healthier” (hard to measure) and “I want to go to yoga 3x this week” (easy to measure).
Achievable– Goals should stretch you slightly so you feel challenged and be small enough that you can achieve them. (Remember, every Right Action, big or small, is a step in the direction of you expanding into the healthiest version of yourself!)
Relevant– Goals should be closely connected to the outcome you are looking to achieve.
Time bound– Goals should be linked to a timeframe, so you know when you are meant to complete it by. This is essential in really supporting you to complete your goal.
I recently used the SMART goal method myself. One of the ways I have felt very stuck in my mentoring/coaching practice is that I have been terrified to put myself out there and publicly share my wisdom and vulnerability. I can absolutely do this one-on-one and in small groups, but to a large audience, I have felt almost paralyzed in sharing.
My intention is to share myself more vulnerably and publicly as a way to create deeper levels of trust with my audience and offer my wisdom in service to others.
Therefore, my SMART goal was to write one newsletter for COR by May 17th that can support people in their process of taking Right Action.
This is how I approached my SMART goal:
- Specific – This goal was specific because it noted that I was writing a newsletter for COR and what the topic was about.
- Measurable– This goal was measurable since I could measure whether I had written one newsletter or not by May 17th.
- Achievable– This goal was achievable as it was something that I had the skill set and time in my schedule to do.
- Relevant– This goal was relevant to what I desire as it directly supported me in stepping through my fear and as a result of fulfilling it, had me sharing myself more vulnerably and publicly.
- Time bound- This goal was time bound since I had to complete it by May 17th.
Just yesterday I felt nauseous when I was thinking about having committed to writing this newsletter. Now that I have completed it, I feel a sense of joy, fulfillment, and relief in having had the courage to step into something that was previously so edgy and uncomfortable to me.
Growth happens outside our comfort zone. When we stay comfortable, we remain where we are. When we stretch ourselves and move through the resistance, the fear, the discomfort, we stretch into our full potential. I am having that experience as I write this. That’s Right Action for you!
So dear reader, I invite you to try on the SMART goal method to start taking one Right Action in areas that have felt outside of your comfort zone. And of course, I would love to hear what your SMART goal is and how it goes for you. Please share on our Facebook page and if you need support in forming your SMART goal, I am happy to help!
Blessings,
Jessica
