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“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins. Having goals alone is not enough, you need to work strategically to turn them into reality.
You might be familiar with the conventional SMART framework for setting goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Here, we’re introducing you to a revised goal-setting framework utilised at Clueo Clinical, known as SMARTA. The additional A at the end represents Accountability. In this article, we’ll guide you step-by-step on setting SMARTA goals to transform your career aspirations into actionable and achievable accomplishments.
1. Specific: The Power of Precision
Being specific when creating your career goals means you’ll have clarity, which is essential for effective action. Having clear objectives also eliminates ambiguity and ensure your efforts and resources are focused towards achieving the targeted outcomes. Moreover, it enhances your motivation, providing a tangible roadmap for progress and achievement. By defining specific goals, you cultivate a sense of purpose and direction to help you persevere in tough times. For example, if you want to break into the clinical research industry as a CRA, your goal could be “I want to get into the industry as a CRA. What makes this goal specific is the fact that you know the “specific job title” you are going for to enter the clinical research industry.
Check out our all-in-one CRA Industry-Bridging Program (CRA-IBP) that guarantees your industry job success.
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
Tony Robbins
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2. Measurable: Quantify Your Success
“What gets measured gets improved.” – Peter Drucker. For you to remain on course towards accomplishing your goals, you should create a method for gauging your progress. This method involves breaking down your bigger objectives into individual criteria, tasks or milestones, which will then allow you to “measure” your incremental progress. By establishing measurable criteria, you’ll also gain insight into how fast (or slow) you are travelling before you can reach your destination and adjust your pace accordingly. Moreover, measurable goals allow you to refine your strategies as needed, ensuring they remain aligned with your overarching goals. Therefore, making your goals measurable empowers you to learn from setbacks for continuous improvement as you progress towards realising your aspirations. For example, I will apply to a certain number of CRA positions per week.
“What gets measured gets improved.”
Peter Drucker
3. Achievable: Striking the Balance
While ambition is commendable, setting unrealistic goals can lead to frustration. Making your goals achievable is all about striking a delicate balance between ambition and reality. It involves setting objectives that are challenging yet within reach, considering your available resources (e.g., time), and capabilities. Setting realistic goals also motivates you towards taking action because you can now “see” that your goals are within reach. As a result, you’ll feel more confident and empowered as progress becomes tangible and attainable. By setting achievable goals, you’ll also avoid frustration by maintaining momentum and steadily moving towards your success. Finally, it encourages you to be creative as you seek effective solutions to overcome obstacles while cultivating resilience and determination. For example, to become a CRA, assess your qualifications realistically against the job requirements. Can you enter directly or are there any gaps? Focus on filling the gaps by acquiring the necessary qualifications and training or certifications such as the CRA Industry-Bridging Program (CRA-IBP) to make your goal of becoming a CRA achievable.
Making your goals achievable is all about striking a delicate balance between ambition and reality.
Dr. Thu (Sue) Nguyen
4. Relevant: Aligning with Your Vision
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs. Your goals should align with your overarching vision. In other words, why do you want to reach this goal? This requires you to reflect on what’s really important to you. Relevant goals ensure that your efforts are focused only on tasks that matter. They provide you with further clarity and direction, guiding you towards actions that are meaningful and significant. Aligning your goals with something meaningful to you means you’ll have a sense of purpose and fulfilment when you finally reach your goals. For example, I want to become a CRA because [your reasons]. Ensure your reasons are something you love, work towards or care deeply about. Ideally, they should also align with your goal of becoming a CRA, such as passion for clinical research and trial monitoring.
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
Steve Jobs
5. Time-bound: Setting the Deadline
“A goal without a deadline is just a wish.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Imposing deadlines for goals creates a sense of urgency. Moreover, when you understand that there is a fixed deadline, you are less likely to procrastinate, motivating you to prioritize your daily tasks and allocate time effectively to ensure you gradually progress towards your bigger goals, thus fostering productivity and focus.
To achieve your goals by the deadlines, you need to be very clear the specific steps you need to take to get there. This is achieved by breaking down your bigger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks or steps. As you complete each small step, you create a forward momentum towards your desired goals. For this strategy to work, you must be discipline and adhere to your set timelines. For example, I want to become a CRA by August 2024.
Learn more about strategies to help you manage your time effectively.
“A goal without a deadline is just a wish.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
6. Accountable: Ensuring You Stay on Track
“Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to results.” – Bob Proctor. Being accountable involves owning up to your actions, choices, and commitments, ensuring steady progress towards your career aspirations. Accountability also cultivates discipline and perseverance, pushing you to stay focused amidst challenges and setbacks. It fosters a proactive mindset, prompting reflection on shortcomings and the determination to overcome them. By holding yourself accountable doesn’t only work in reach your career goals, but during your career, it also helps you to demonstrate your reliability and integrity, earning trust and respect from your peers and managers. Ultimately, accountability is the cornerstone of success, empowering you to navigate your career paths with purpose and determination.
To ensure you stay on track for reaching your goals, simply ask someone, whom you trust and respect to hold you accountable for your words and action. The best people to keep you accountable would be those who understand your goals and motivations, are supportive of your growth, and are willing to provide constructive feedback when needed. This could be your friends, family members, mentors, or even colleagues who share similar interests or objectives.
“Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to results.”
Bob Proctor
Why The Revised SMARTA Framework
At Clueo Clinical, we encounter numerous aspiring professionals who possess exceptional capabilities and potential to excel in the clinical research industry. However, we’ve also observed that these individuals, despite their ambition, often become lost, distracted or lose focus, hindering the realisation of their career goals. By introducing an “accountable partner” who believes in them, cares about their growth, and holds them accountable, we’ve witnessed significant improvements in their likelihood of success. We integrate this precise framework into our success-proven signature Industry-Bridging Programs, where each trainee receives personalised attention from a career mentor to ensure their success.
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.”
Vince Lombardi
To assist you in effectively applying our SMARTA goal framework to enhance your personal development and career advancement, we’ve developed an easy to follow goal setting worksheet. Click the link below to access this FREE resource. Should you require assistance or have any inquiries regarding the implementation of our SMARTA goal framework, feel free to reach out to us via email at info@clueoclinical.com or call us at 1300 39 22 06.
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Conclusion
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.” – Vince Lombardi. Setting SMARTA goals is a transformative approach to turning aspirations into reality. By being Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, and Accountable, you lay the foundation for success. Whether in personal growth, career advancement, or health and wellness, the SMARTA framework empowers you to navigate your journey with precision and purpose.
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If you are not sure what to do, contact us via email at info@clueoclinical.com or call us at 1300 39 22 06 for an obligation-free discussion.
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Dr. Thu (Sue) Nguyen, PhD
Sue is the founder and CEO of Clueo Clinical Pty Ltd. She has over 17 years of combined experience in clinical and pre-clinical research and development, training and management. She is passionate about patient-centric science, clinical research, education, and helping others find their career passion and succeed in life.
She is an avid learner, an authentic networker and wants to empower the next generation to reach their fullest potential in Australia and around the world.