Gauge your excitement to accomplish goals: last in a series

S.M.A.R.T. goals are bound to fail unless they are created from a positive, resonant place (as I covered in my first post) and options are created from that place (as noted in my second post). Now that you have brainstormed a list of options, you can move on to the final component of making your S.M.A.R.T. goals truly work...

Step three - gauge your excitement around your options

When you explored your options in step two, anything was on the table: you had license to brainstorm the most wild, vibrant options available to you. You didn't judge what you wrote and you didn't hold back. But it's natural that - even from the resonant options you created - there are some options that would work better than others. This is where the "1 to 10" scale comes in.

Pick three options from your list that meet the following criteria:

• One that would elicit a "quick win" (to build momentum)
• One that would elicit a "wow, I can't believe I did that!" (for a greater thrill)
• One that would elicit a "ugh, it's doable...but it's going to be tough" (to celebrate your resilience)

Once you have your three, gauge each of them on a scale between 1 and 10, with 1 being "there is no possible way I would ever do this" and 10 being "there is no possible way I will not do this."

If you are at a 8 or below for any of options, reconsider it. Adjust it in some way, or pick a new one. When you are an 8 or higher, that's a strong indication that you will follow through. 

Now that you have your three options that are an 8 or above, build in to each one:

1. When you will do it by?
2. How will we know it is done?

You can set up an accountability with a friend, post something on your Facebook profile, whatever. But set the accountability!

The S.M.A.R.T. framework is a valuable framework with which to frame your goals, but creating them with resonance and excitement will make your goals all the more likely to be accomplished.

Assignment: walk through Step Three above and, in the comments section, create an accountability for all the Daily Leap readers to see!