Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely
Having a plan will help you to achieve success in what ever it is you are doing, it will make your journey to achieving your goal easier, by clearly identifying the steps needed.
Specific
Understand specifically what it is you wish to achieve. Break it down into multiple smaller goals but be sure to be specific about your final goal, how you want to complete it and what it will mean to you when you do.
Measurable
Be sure to measure every aspect of your goal, how long it will take you to complete, the things you need to have and need to do in order to achieve this goal. Along with measuring your goal you must also measure the steps you must take and individual smaller goals that will need completing before you can reach your ultimate goal. Make sure, when measuring the steps you need to take, you understand how you will complete them, why you need to complete then, and when they need to be completed by.
Achievable
When setting your goals, you need to be sure you can achieve them. Some goals are not achievable right away depending on your circumstances, but can be achieved by changing some circumstances. You have to be realistic and its also important to make sure every step you need to take in order to reach your goal is achievable.
Relevant
Why is your goal relevant? What does it achieve? Why does it help you? Make sure when planning your steps you are sure that it will benefit you and help you reach your goal.
Timely
Having a timeline is a great way to keep yourself motivated and stay on track, you can keep track of your progress and compare how long it took you to reach your goal as to how long you wanted to take. Have a serious think about how long it will take you to complete each step and your over all goal.
