Most leaders are familiar with the term “SMART goals”. But before you get SMART, apply these START goals.

What do START goals look like?

Strengths-based – Your goals should be a stretch into an area just outside your comfort zone, but (and this is key) they should still be within your strengths zone. Growing within your strengths zone is an extremely effective success strategy. Trying to grow outside your strengths zone very often leads to frustration and limited success.

Targeted – Your goals must be targeted toward a crystal clear vision. Where there is no vision, there is no progress. But when you develop a clear vision, your goals can then be very targeted. Targeted goals allow you to take swift and decisive action. Watch someone who gets that kind of focus, and you will amazed at the results. Better yet…BE that someone!

Accountable – Are you serious about reaching your goals? Having an accountability partner can be your linchpin to success. An accountability partner will keep you focused, encouraged, and persistent through times when you would otherwise quit. They will be a sounding board for your ideas. They are vested in your success. They will help you overcome the obstacles and celebrate your victories.

Results-driven – The saying that “goals are dreams with deadlines” is true. If you say, “Someday, I will…” the chances of your actually doing what you say are slim. But if you say, “Within the next 90 days, I will do these three specific things,” then it is very likely you will reach those goals. If you don’t define success, how will you know when you hit the mark? Reaching defined goals gives you not only a measurement for success, but it also provides momentum for continued success.

Teachable – Teaching, mentoring, and sharing with others should always be part of your START goals.  Aim to be a river, not a reservoir, of the knowledge and resources you have acquired. It has been said that the way to really learn something is to teach it. As you reach your goals, teach others what you have learned along the way. Not only will it help them; it will strengthen your knowledge as well.

As you review your goals, which you should do regularly, ask yourself if they are:

Strengths-based, Targeted, Accountable, Results-driven, and Teachable. With these five keys in your hand, success is almost a given.

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If you are the leader of a corporate team or business, I invite you to join fellow leaders in the 2015 Inner Circle for Leaders, an online growth mastermind group designed specifically to help you grow your influence and bottom line this year. Click here to learn more or email me at deb@strengthleader.com if you have any questions.