kmlund blog

My name is Krystalmoon and man, did I have some big ambitions a year ago! 

How do I know? Well, you see, there is this tool called S.M.A.R.T. goals. What are S.M.A.R.T. goals? They are classified as Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound – S.M.A.R.T., right?

But you see, sometimes you can set them up for your own failure by being a bit too big for your britches. Take myself for instance. I was in a mental health facility, first year into college, and already aiming for a small business to be up and going by the time I graduate, with mental health being burned. Oh, we can’t forget that I was going to be so big I would need three employees to help keep the ship afloat. 

Big dreams for sure, and at the time, I believed them. That they were possible just the way I had them set up, I could do it! Despite everything, I was going to do it.

Reality check: I didn’t, in fact, make it—not YET anyway.

I set my goals a bit too… broad. I didn’t have a solid first stepping stone for a S.M.A.R.T. goal…which was to make a smaller series of S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Like jumping from rock to rock over a stream or brook as a kid, trying not to get your shoes wet, or your mom would have your head. Well, in this case, the broader the S.M.A.R.T. goal was, the larger the gap between the stones. So I had to narrow it down. I had to take my time and find those rocks that were bigger, closer, and sturdier. I needed to make a S.M.A.R.T. goal with a better foundation than what I was trying to jump off from. 

And while I haven’t gotten to the other side of the stream yet, I know I will because my SMART goals are more achievable than they were before.  More detailed S.M.A.R.T. goals, a sturdier foundation to jump from.

For me, it’s making sure I accomplish the two biggest assignments each week of college with a B at least, to ensure I don’t lose my footing. Or how I ensure my GPA doesn’t drop below a 3.0 by putting my all into classes. But you can have more than one SMART goal too.

For me, that would be the little side projects to help build my portfolio. Those are important too. I have to make sure those stones have solid S.M.A.R.T. goals, or I could come tumbling down. 

The moral of the story? Make sure your Goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, and you can accomplish just about anything. 

So tell me, what are your SMART goals?