SMART Goals

SMART Goals for a Happy Life

Is that SMART goals as in Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely? You might think that sounds very analytical for something as subjective as happiness, but choosing happiness over ambition requires clear and conscious decision making.

A recent review of happiness research shows that the happiest people make a little less and have fewer degrees than those who were only moderately happy. It seems that moderately happy people are always striving for more, looking to fill the gap, full of ambition. They may achieve higher status, more education and larger paychecks, but they never get any happier. Happy people live comfortably and live longer. They have more friends, they give more back to their community, and they enjoy the ride. So, how do you switch tracks if you are successful enough and now want to be happier?

The Tortoise and the Hare

SMART Goals and Happiness

According to Daniel Gilbert, a research
psychologist and author of the book Stumbling on Happiness, you start by adjusting your expectations or goals downward. Our happiness is directly proportional to how well we meet our own expectations. When we aim high and fall short of the goal, we are disappointed and unhappy.

Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi agrees. He studied how people used their time then looked for the happiest people. He found that the people who regularly did activities that challenged them, but were within reach were the happiest. These people regularly experienced a state called Flow, the kind of peak experience where you do everything right and everything fits into place. Athletes often call the state of flow being in the Zone. Spending more time in flow is one of the ways we can increase our overall life satisfaction.

These researchers agree that your goals are key to your happiness. The key to a happy and successful life is to balance your goals with your capabilities so you are challenged to grow, but not overwhelmed.

Here are 3 ways that SMART goals help you to be happier by increasing flow in your life.

Success Compass

Specific. One of elements of flow is a clear objective. This helps us focus for better performance and for that sense of challenge that is so important to at state of flow. It is important to set the goal appropriately so it includes lots of people, good relationships, reliance on our strengths and the things we like to do, and value on happiness itself.
Measureable. We perform better and are more likely to feel flow when we keep score. A measurable goal gives us a way to do that.
Achievable, Realistic, Timely. When we think through a goal to make sure that it can be achieved, even if it is a bit of stretch we feel challenged and happy. When we take on an important goal without the confidence that we can achieve it we feel stress and worry. Planning how we will meet our goal enough to feel confident is a key to flow.

The act of writing out a goal can be helpful in increasing happiness as well. Often our expectations are vague and formed unconsciously. When we write them down, it is easier to spot an unrealistic expectation and either adjust the goal or the plan to achieve it to bring us back into a healthy challenge.

Rise up with goals