Beyond SMART Goals: Successfully Targeting Your Goals

Welcome to the Empowered Slacker Society, where we believe in mastering the art of working smarter, not harder, to free up time and energy for life's true priorities. This week, we explore a transformative strategy with Bao MC Yang, a website strategist and author of the "Warmth of Ambition" newsletter. Bao shares insights from her life and work, including a game-changing approach called "Beyond SMART Goals."

Reevaluating Traditional Goals

SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound—are widely popular across many sectors today. While effective for some, they have notable limitations. Bao points out that determining realism often requires unavailable data, potentially resulting in arbitrary targets. Those targets, if unmet, can lead to self-blame rather than questioning the goal-setting method.

Furthermore, Bao highlights the risk of prioritizing external outcomes, which, due to shifting algorithms and an unstable economy, can lead to anxiety and stress. The question remains: should these metrics be the sole foundation for business goals?

The Power of Intentions

Instead of adhering strictly to SMART goals, Bao advocates setting meaningful intentions. These focus on personal growth and the internal processes within our control. Intentions help define who we wish to become, focusing on character development rather than outcomes. Goals should reflect not just what we want but who we aim to be in the pursuit of those dreams.

Intention Setting: A Practical Guide

To set intentions effectively, Bao suggests a simple yet powerful process:

Identify the Big Picture: What is your ultimate goal? Reflect on who you want to become to achieve it.

List and Journal: Write down thoughts freely, aiming for 10-15 items that highlight your journey.

Categorize Intentionally: Break down your list into overall intentions (who you want to become), processes (how you'll embody this in daily life), and skills (concrete actions).

Be Honest: Confront personal limitations courageously to understand what might be holding you back from moving forward.

A Journey of Growth

Bao's journey is a testament to this approach. Her focus on personal growth and self-improvement extended beyond usual metrics, leading to meaningful relationships and business success. Reflecting this in self-discipline, she stresses the importance of aligning personal values with business goals to naturally attract the right opportunities and people.

Shifting your focus inward might bring forward doubts like imposter syndrome or perfectionism. Yet, by staying true to your course and maintaining focus on personal growth, these challenges can become small hurdles rather than insurmountable mountains.

Unexpected Benefits

Improved self-awareness, resilience, and an ability to embrace failure are just a few superpowers gained on this path. It involves becoming your own compass and trusting the journey that unfolds.

Intentional growth is about embodying the qualities that will lead you towards your goals, impacting yourself and others positively. Business and personal growth are continuous journeys, filled with challenges but also rich with opportunities for self-discovery and fulfillment.

If Bao's insights resonate with you, explore her "Intentional Business Toolkit," a series guiding you to align actions with intentions. Thank you for joining this journey with Bao MC Yang. Remember, working smart is always superior to being incessantly busy. Let's continue to stay empowered and embrace the slacker mindset—achieving more with less effort.

Connect with Bao:

https://www.baomcyang.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/baomcyang

Snag your free Intentional Business Toolkit - a free mini audio series on guiding tools for an aligned business: https://www.baomcyang.com/intentional-business-toolkit/