By: Melissa Bank Stepno, President & CEO

As I write this, it’s January, and many of us are focused on New Year’s resolutions. We enthusiastically set Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals (BHAGs), feeling optimistic—or even excited—about what we can achieve. We might take those first few steps forward…

And then, inevitably, we stop.

We slip back into the routine of life, much like it was just a few weeks ago, adopting that familiar “last year” mindset. Even though the calendar has turned, we are, in many ways, still the same people we were before.

This is why research consistently shows that between 75% and 90% of New Year’s resolutions fail. By extension, this means that only 10% to 25% of resolutions actually succeed.

I stopped making New Year’s resolutions years ago for this very reason—there’s too much pressure tied to a somewhat arbitrary timeframe. But that doesn’t mean I’m not goal-oriented. It simply means that I prefer to set goals based on timelines that are meaningful for the specific project or what it motivating me at a particular time, not just the calendar year.

And when I do set goals, I don’t take a haphazard approach. I try to carefully set myself up for success—especially when my goals are Big, Hairy, and Audacious.

So, whether you’re reading this in January or at another time of year when you’re reflecting on your goals, I want to share some tips to help be a goal achiever.  After all, why set yourself up for failure?

The Power of SMART Goals

Many of us are familiar with the SMART framework for goal setting. It’s a proven approach that ensures your goals are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

SMART goals are a solid foundation, but I’ve found that adding a few additional considerations can significantly increase your chances of success. These ideas complement SMART, but take a slightly different angle on how to approach your goals.

Introducing SMART + BRAGS

Here are a few powerful additions to help you stick to your goals and make real progress:

1. Baseline Setting
   Before you dive into your goals, it’s essential to understand where you’re starting from. What is your current situation? Gathering data and assessing your starting point will help you set more realistic and achievable targets. Understanding your baseline gives you a clearer picture of how much progress you can realistically make.
2. Rationale
   This is, in my opinion, the most important element—the Why. You need to understand the underlying reason for your goal. Why is this goal meaningful to you? A clear rationale gives your goal purpose and helps you push through when things get tough. It becomes your motivation when challenges arise, reminding you of the bigger picture.
3. Accountability
   Share your goals with others—whether it’s your team, leaders, friends, or family. Their encouragement can help keep you on track, and they can hold you accountable. Not only does this create external motivation, but it also provides a valuable “gut check” to ensure your goal aligns with the SMART framework. In professional settings, involving others also ensures buy-in from the people who are, or will be, affected by your goal.
4. Good Communication
   Communication is key to almost any initiative, but especially so when it comes to goal setting.  It ensures that everyone involved understands the goal, its purpose, the timeline, and the expected outcomes. This clarity helps everyone stay aligned and ensures that you have the support you need to succeed.
5. Sustainability
   If your goal is focused on long-term success or change, it’s crucial to consider sustainability. Are the actions you’re taking repeatable? Will you be able to adapt if you encounter obstacles? Thinking ahead about how to handle roadblocks can help you stay on course, even when challenges arise.

A Prospect Research Example

• Goal: Within the next 6 months, identify 100 new major gift prospects at the $100K+ level to seed the portfolio of the new MGO we will be hiring later this year.
• S – Specific: The goal is clear, you know exactly what you are aiming (major gift prospects at the $100K+ level), the quantity (100), and the timeline (6 months)
• M – Measurable: Track progress through a weekly or monthly report that detail the number of prospects identified and their associated capacity level.
• A – Achievable: Assess historical data, such as the number of prospects your team identified in the previous 6 months, to determine if the volume seems achievable (also see Baseline Setting below). It might also be helpful to set a smaller monthly target (e.g., 8-10 prospects per month) to ensure the overall goal is achievable
• R – Relevant: This goal directly aligns with the organization’s decision to hire a new MGO and supports the major gift program’s growth. Identifying these prospects will ensure that the new MGO has a well-prepared portfolio when they begin, accelerating their ability to meet fundraising goals.
• T – Time-bound: The timeline is clear – you have 6 months to identify 100 prospect. Breaking the timeline into monthly targets (e.g., 8-10 prospects per month) will help maintain focus and ensure steady progress.
• B – Baseline Setting Assess historical data, such as the number of prospects your team identified in the previous 6 months, and at what capacity levels, to determine if the volume seems achievable. Also consider your other priorities over the past six months to determine whether you think you will have more or less time to work toward this goal.
• R – Rationale: The rationale, or the “why,” behind this goal is straightforward: the organization is investing in a new MGO who will need a well-qualified portfolio to begin their work. This effort will lay the foundation for successful major gift cultivation and ensure that the MGO has a strong starting point.
• A – Accountability: Hold yourself accountable by providing regular updates to your manager and the Director of Major Gifts. Set up regular check-ins to assess progress, troubleshoot any challenges, and adjust other priorities if necessary.
• G – Good Communication: Keep stakeholders informed throughout the process. In addition to your manager and the Director of Major Gifts (see Accountability above), ensure your  peers and any other colleagues who might request work from you informed as well so that everyone understands what your priorities are and why.
• S – Sustainable: Ensure the prospect identification tactics you use are sustainable and replicable in the future. Consider leveraging wealth screening tools, past donor lists, modeling scores and other tools at your disposal. Create a process so that you can assess if the tactics you use for this goal can be adapted for future projects and/or if adjustments might be needed to maintain this level of effort in the future.

 

Summary

By incorporating these SMART + BRAGS strategies into your goal-setting process, you’ll increase your chances of being in the successful.  And, if it is your New Year’s resolution, let’s make sure you are one of the 10%-25% who actually achieve their resolutions.

And who knows? Maybe you can then be someone who brags about meeting your goals. (See what I did there? Corny, I know!)

Happy goal-setting!

 

*Image Credit: File:Dickens Great Expectations in Half Leather Binding.jpg” by Jameslwoodward is licensed under CC BY 3.0.