Destinations and Detours (Part 1)

Four Tips for Relevant SMART Goals

I am back from another work trip. In the last three and half months, I’ve been to four countries and four US states, everywhere from Amery Wisconsin to Helsinki Finland. Some of these trips were fun—like the overnight ferry to Stockholm. Other trips were an accomplishment—like teaching my first full-length, in-person project management course since COVID.

All this travel reminds me of one of Stephen Covey’s analogies for planning that I often refer to when teaching about goals:

A map is of limited worth if you don’t have a compass.

Or, for modern readers, let’s use a GPS:

A GPS is of limited worth if you don’t program your destination.

I’ve talked about process and end goals before, but to reframe this with my travel analogy, the map (or GPS) represents a process goal. The compass (or destination) represents the end goal, sometimes called an outcome goal.

And the thing is, it can be best to make an end goal before a process goal. Otherwise, you might be headed to Fargo in February.

Photo by Sunil GC on Unsplash

There are many methods to help with planning end goals, but one of the most popular is the SMART acronym.

S – specific

M – measurable

A – achievable

R – relevant

T – time bound

Specific might be a trip to St. Petersburg Florida to teach project management. Measurable might be planning three days’ worth of engaging content. Achievable just means that the resources or conditions to get me there and stay for three days are attainable (money, hotel availability, no furlough or pandemic lock-down, etc.). Relevant means that going to St. Petersburg is in line with my values and my long-term goals. Time bound might mean reaching St. Petersburg by December 13.

I’d like to make the argument that the R in SMART is the first and most important. Your goal ought to be relevant. That is, it ought to be in line with your values and related to your long-term and overall desired outcome.

The R in SMART is the part that is related to your purpose, or your compass in our road trip analogy.

So was this latest trip in line with my life goals? I would like to say it was. I learn right along with the participants when I teach the course. I wanted to get out there and improve the course. Test it out and get feedback.

But being away from family has been hard. Especially since I’ve been away much of the fall and focusing on family is one of my core values. Creating project management content also fits into my core values. So, what happens when these things are out of balance?

I am feeling the need to stay put for a while and reflect on the balance in my life—and my core values. If you are heading into 2025 and thinking about setting goals, you might join me in giving these some deeper thought beyond the typical New Years’ resolutions.

Here are some tips that might make your goals more relevant:

1. Connect to Core Values

Understanding our values is the first step in making our goals relevant. Reflect on what truly matters. Is it family, health, career, creativity, community service? Once these values are identified, we can ensure that our goals align with them. Ranking core values in order of importance might help us stay balanced.

2. Assess Alignment with Long-Term Objectives

SMART goals are stepping stones toward larger aspirations. In managing projects, we usually assign SMART goals to our project objectives. The larger aspiration is the project completion. But the aim could be career progression, personal growth, or strong relationships. Whatever our aspirations are, we want to create goals that are milestones guiding us in the desired direction.

3. Consider the Big Picture

Think beyond immediate gains. Explore how goals contribute to things like societal needs, community engagement, or environmental sustainability. Goals that have a broader impact can offer extra motivation and deepen their significance.

4. Make Goals Personal

Goals can feel generic if they don't resonate personally. A trip to Indiana seems a bit arbitrary to me. But we can tailor our goals to reflect our unique situations, interests, and experiences. This instills more ownership and commitment.

By connecting goals to core values, assessing their alignment with long-term objectives, considering the big picture, and making them personal, we can create a more meaningful path toward success.

So I have made a new goal: I am going to say no to any new work trips in the next year, except for the four destinations I have already committed to.

Now I just have to work on making this goal SMART.

Stay tuned for the next Substack because I will share how to embrace the detours along your route.