You’ve probably seen the acronym SMART regarding goals and objectives a dozen times,

but it’s worth repeating. If you follow these principles, you’ll be certain that your objectives

meet the “quantifiable criteria” needed to measure success. Objectives should follow the

SMART rule:

S—Specific Objectives should be specific and written in clear, concise, and understandable terms.

M—Measurable Objectives should be measurable.

A—Accurate Objectives should be accurate and should describe precisely what’s required.

R—Realistic and tangible Objectives that are impossible to accomplish are not realistic and not attainable. Objectives must be centered in reality. For example, it’s not likely you and I will be sending up rocket ships full of chocolate candies to sell to tourists visiting the moon anytime soon.

T—Time bound Objectives should have a time frame with an end date assigned to them.