5 Ways to Work SMART - to Achieve Your Goals in 2025

Like most of us, you may have started the New Year with BIG goals.

And among them, of course, were a lot of things to accomplish at work.?

But January brought the usual load of distractions - and so you may have made?almost no progress on any of them.

The problem is - most people don’t set goals properly - in the first place.?

The objectives they establish for themselves are too vague, too unwieldy, or too?difficult to accomplish alone.?

It’s why some of your goals might already seem out of reach, even though it’s only?the third week of February.?

Too often you think about what you’d like to accomplish, it gets written down, and?but then it goes on a shelf.?

No set time - or focus - is placed on achieving them.

Unfortunately, as your chances of accomplishing your goals slip, so does your?morale, and you can become disengaged.

So how can you get a lot of meaningful things accomplished in 2025??

Here are 5 SMART Ways for setting ambitious - but realistic goals - then getting them?done.

1. Dig Deeper.

Experts suggest that individuals examine how they spent their time in 2024. Then ask:

• What they’d like to do more of,
• What they’d like to stop doing, and
• What they would like to start doing,

2. Be SMART about goal setting.

One of the biggest obstacles to accomplishing a goal is that it’s too nebulous. Being?more productive on the job, for instance, is a fine objective, but it’s also tough to measure.

One needs to make SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time bound.?This will help you to clarify ideas, focus efforts, use time and resources productively, and?increase the chances of achieving what you want.

3. Think big picture.

Don’t just focus on your current situation. Broaden your thinking?to consider the challenges?your organization is facing this year. Figure out what’s happening a few levels and Departments around you - and how your work intersects with it. Otherwise, you might set a goal that takes you?down a path that doesn’t lead anywhere.

Think about your unique skills and how they overlap with the organization's highest priorities.?Consider a goal that uses your unique perspective to help your company grow.

4. Look beyond 2025.

Don’t just think about the ten remaining months of 2025; think about what you want and can do in the long-term future, and what steps might help you reach that goal.

Determine what you need to do to be successful - then deconstruct the skills and experience?that will be required. Then set a plan to achieve it.?

5. Develop metrics.

Don’t forget to include a way to measure success. Metrics can be tied to revenue and growth, or?to something more qualitative, such as customer feedback and satisfaction surveys.

You could also measure success based on how you’ve improved your skills, expanded your?knowledge, or achieved personal milestones. There is nothing wrong with being a little competitive?with yourself.

Success comes from achievement - and we can help ourselves in small ways.

Why not step back and use these 5 Ways to Work SMART - to Achieve Your Goals in 2025.??

To your success.

What do you think?

Use the comment area below and share your experience or advice on this topic.

Business not growing the way you'd like it to?

As strategists, focused on long-term sustainable growth from a CEO perspective – we help you strategically hone your strategy which drives your Marketing, Sales, Engineering, Operations, Human Resources – every element of your business.

If you're a bit frustrated with slowing or stalled growth – let’s have a short call to see if we can help. Contact me at 480-766-1772 or [email protected] .

Rich Kohler is a Business Growth Expert. His company, Kohler Consulting Group specializes in helping CEOs and Marketing Executives of Mid-Market Aerospace & Defense, Hi-Tech firms who want to accelerate or recapture growth momentum, build a clear roadmap to achieve faster, more predictable and sustainable, profitable growth.

For 30 years, I've used the globally-proven Growth Playbook process to help multiple Private, Private-Equity and Public companies grow profit & sales 10-15%/yr+ including BAE SYSTEMS, Eaton, GE Aviation, Smiths PLC, Transdigm.

Do you need to:

• Address stalled growth, flat-lined revenues, declining profit margins?
• Take a step back to more clearly & confidently navigate complex and rapidly changing markets, intensifying competition?
• Increase clarity and control to reduce the uncertainty and risk around their strategy?

Are you serious about accelerating your growth - and moving to that next level of success?

If so, contact Rich at: [email protected].