1 You have already read about smart as an acronym that can be used to help you set effective objectives or goals. Let’s be more specific about what these features mean.

 2 Read the text about effective goal setting.

Text 4. Smart Goal Setting Specific

Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are going to do. Ensure the goals you set is very specific, clear and easy. Instead of setting a goal to enlarge your vocabulary or to master your English, set a specific goal to learn 5 new words daily or to translate and learn 2 songs of your favourite music bands a week.

Measurable

If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. Be specific in how to measure your achievements.

“I want to read an English book of 300-400 pages on my own before my birthday” shows the specific target to be measured.

“I want to be a good reader” does not show the specific target.

Attainable

Your goals should be clear and attainable. You should formulate them so you feel you can achieve them. For instance, if your aim is “to become more fluent in speaking in a week”, we all understand that this aim can hardly be attainable. “To prepare a series of one-minute speeches on different topics daily during a fortnight” is attainable and also challenging because it requires energy and dedication to achieve. The feeling of success will help you to remain motivated.

Realistic

Goals need to be realistic for you. Realistic is not a synonym for “easy”. A goal of “learning one hundred new words every day” may not be realistic for anyone. It may be more realistic if you decide “to learn ten new words every day” and will do your best in doing it.

Be sure to set goals that you can attain with some effort! Too difficult and you set the stage for failure, but too low sends the message that you aren’t very capable. Set the bar high enough for a satisfying achievement!

Time-limited

Set a timeframe for the goal: next week, in three months, by the end of the year. Setting timeframes gives you a clear target to work towards. If you don’t set a time, the commitment is too vague. Time must be measurable, attainable and realistic.

Everyone will benefit from goals and objectives if they are SMART!

(on the Internet materials )

3 Formulate your life goals according to the smart criteria.

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Just for Fun!

No speech can be entirely bad if it is short enough.

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It is better to leave your audience before your audience leaves you.

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Many speakers need no introduction; what they need are conclusions.

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It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.

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“I’m glad I attended your lecture on insomnia, Doctor.”

“Good, and did you find it interesting?”

“Not especially, but it did cure me of my insomnia.”