Mind Map your SMART Goals

Posted by Faizel Mohidin on Jan 24, 2010 in Mind Mapping, Mind Maps at Work, Mind Maps in Education, Personal Mind Maps | 8 comments

Before I start with this week’s article, I would like to address a comment by Tim Fulford on last week’s post. He criticised my Mind Map for not using one word per line and the lack of images. You can see his comments on the post at MindMapTutor.com.

Even though I gave him my reasons for not following the Mind Map rules strictly, I welcome his passion and input around puristic Mind Maps as advocated by Tony Buzan, the inventor of Mind Maps. Tim is a certified Buzan instructor and obviously knows his subject very well. I agree with him that a Mind Map with one Key Word per line is more ‘open’, thus creating more connections for the user of the Mind Map. I use single words per line in my personal Mind Maps as much as possible.

I still feel that if I use a Mind Map for accurately recording things such as minutes, indexes, content pages, etc. without any interpretation, I often need to add a few more words per line, especially if I have limited space, as in my blog.

This is not an encouragement for you to do the same. Stick to the laws and only break them if you have a valid reason. It is still your choice. I’ve written an article previously on the Mind Map Principles. Have a look at the principles, if you don’t know them, or have forgotten them. Knowing the Mind Mapping Principles can make all the difference between a good Mind Map and a Mind Map that is not really a Mind Map. The latter leads to chaos and confusion, instead of clarity.

It is also important to note that MindMapTutor is here to tutor you along a path of lifelong learning and growth. Some of the tools we promote, especially the free ones, don’t meet the standards set by Tony Buzan, but it is sometimes the best tool you’ve got.

Even if my writing helps one person, it is one more person that will have a more fulfilling life. It is that thought that keeps me going.

This reminds me of a story that goes something like this:

Two people were walking on a beach. They came across a pile of starfish washed up on the shore. One of them started to throw them back into the sea. The other one commented that there’s no use throwing them back, because he will never be able to make a difference as there are so many of them.

The reply came back, as he threw another one into the sea: ‘I’ve made a difference to that one…’

Now let’s get stuck into setting those goals.

SMART

Even though the SMART acronym for goal setting originated in the Project Management discipline, it has become more widely used and can be applied to any goal setting scenario.

Last week, I discussed your Roles and Goals, which were based on your purpose defined previously.

Having the Mind Maps you created for your Purpose, Roles and Goals handy would be great. Many of you may have battled to set your Goals for the various roles in your life. This article will therefore focus on how to go about Goal Setting.

What makes my advice different from many other Goal setting advice is the fact that your Roles are included in the big picture.

We are often at different levels of maturity in our various roles. For example, we may be working in a field for many years, yet be a few days or weeks in a new relationship. The way we see our goals in two different roles, is largely dependent our maturity level in the role.

You will therefore have to apply setting SMART Goals to each of the roles that you choose. Each individual will set goals for the roles that they feel need goal setting. At least the Roles and Goals paradigm gives YOU the choice. You decide the roles that need goal setting and the roles that do not.

The Acronym

Before going further, it will be wise for you to grasp the acronym fully. It is simple, so take a few minutes to learn and memorise it.

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Tangible

The letter ‘T’, often represents ‘Time’ in many uses of this acronym. The reason for using tangible will be explained later.

Specific

Specific Goals are simply goals that are not vague. The better you describe the goals and the more specific you make it, the better. The following key questions often naturally make the goals specific:

• WHICH: Identify requirements and constraints
• WHEN: Establish a time frame
• WHY: Specific reasons, purpose, or benefits in accomplishing the goal
• WHAT: What do I want to accomplish?
• WHERE: Identify a location
• WHO: Who is involved?

The first thing you have to do is define your goals and choose one to work through. (Which?)

Once you have gone through these questions around your goal, you will know what you want to achieve, why you want to achieve it, by when you want to achieve it who will be involved in helping you achieve your goal.

One of the methods that I normally recommend to record your goals is quite a simple one and especially useful if you don’t use Mind Maps to organise your life.

• Get a diary
• Go to the front of the Diary and write in the Goals and the dates by which you want to achieve them
• Turn to the appropriate page in you diary and write down the goal there as well
• Look at your goals daily, or at least weekly if you can’t manage daily

Measurable

This is based on the management cliche, what you can’t measure, you can’t manage. Define ways YOU think you can measure your progress. It is important that YOU set the measurement criteria. Other people can give input, but you have to define your own standards by which you are going to measure whether you are successful or not. The responsibility is yours.

Some questions you can ask:

• How much?
• How many?
• How will I know when it is accomplished?
• What are the Benchmarks against which I can measure it?
• Are there Milestones that I can set to ensure I am on track?

Attainable

The attainable key word pertains largely to your own growth and development. If your goals are defined well, which the SMART acronym enables you to do, you will find that you will grow as an individual on your path to achieving your goals.

Some important characteristics that determine whether you see the goals as attainable:

• Self-image and belief
• Financial capability
• Abilities
• Skills
• Attitudes

By pushing yourself and growing this type of characteristics, your goals will become more and more attainable. It will also enable you to set bigger and bigger goals.

The statement by Robert Browning: ‘Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp’, comes to mind, which has commonly been associated with setting goals a bit higher than you can attain comfortably.

The following can help you to understand the reach/grasp meaning and help to visualise it quite nicely:

Do the following exercise (or picture it):

• Stand an arm’s length away from an object, keeping your arm straight out in front of you.
• Ensure that the tips of your fingers are touching the object. That is your reach.
• Now close you hands into a fist, without moving your arm. That is your grasp.
• Does your hand still reach the object?

Physically, our reach is greater than our grasp. Ensure your goals are too.

Realistic

When thinking realistic, two words come to mind: willing and able.

Both are needed to ensure that realistic goals that are attainable are defined. Only you will know whether you are willing to put in the work to achieve the goal or not. Your willingness to work, will determine your ability to achieve the goal. Have another look at my post successful people work harder.

Tangible

I prefer tangible to time bound for this letter of the acronym, as time can be covered in the specific and measurable parts. It can even be covered in the attainable and realistic components, as setting an realistic/unrealistic timeframe has a huge influence on whether the goal is attainable or realistic.

Tangible involves the senses, especially the visualisation component. Many people involve all five senses in the visualisation process. If you can see, feel, touch, taste and hear it, you can achieve it. By making it tangible, you automatically cover the specific, measurable, attainable and realistic components of your goals.

You are now better equipped to define your goals. Look at the goals on the Mind Map you created last week.

Are they SMART enough?