Specificity in the formulation of the goal — a sufficient number of small, specific details that describe the process of achievement and the desired end result.
Including — the ability to clearly determine whether the goal has been achieved or not. You will be helped by questions: “How will I understand that the result has been achieved?”. What will I see, hear, feel when this happens? For example, «My breathing will be even and calm, I will speak loudly and confidently, I will see that colleagues will talk to me more often.»
The result must be verifiable, expressed in something really tangible. For example, in real sensory (visible, felt) experience. To know that you have achieved a result (or not yet), you must have clear criteria for achieving it. For example, the result will be when you hear something, see that and feel it. Do you want to have a regal posture? Stand as you will with such a regal posture, show it to yourself and others — and remember this state of yours. There is! This is your test state. When, while doing the exercise, you realize that you have reached the test state, then the exercise is completed.
Typical mistakes in the formulation of the goal: general words without specifics.
«My goal is to help people.» How to help? What kind of people? On what terms? By what means? When will you start?
“I want to free myself more time” … What is “more”? Half an hour a day? Or 8 hours free daily?
«Get rights.» Good job. Only: do you need the rights bought or earned? With driving skill or it doesn’t matter? And by what date? See SMART
«I’m going to work on my fitness.» Your anxiety is understandable, but there is no certainty here yet, as long as it is an empty abstraction. But the wording is much more specific: “For a month, in the mornings, regardless of the weather and your state of mind, run with a cheerful optimistic mood every weekday. After running — a contrast shower. And three times a week pull-ups with a ladder: a total of 72 times, fitting in 10 minutes. So, of course, it’s better. Good luck!
I will be charging. Great, but set clear guidelines for what it is: «to do.» For example, define a minimum, an average level, and a maximum. At least 10 minutes a day. Medium — 30 min. Maximum — 1 hour in the morning (jogging plus actual exercises) plus 2 evenings per week of fitness.
The most important moment of specificity is the timing: when will you start or when everything should be completed.
Please note: if you have planned something, but after a beautiful picture in your head you have not done anything for a day and a half, consider your picture an empty dream. To make your dreams come true, train yourself to quickly take the right first step. For example, write down your idea in a diary so that tomorrow you can sketch out an initial plan or make the first calls.
Security Question
So, your control question: “My goals are formulated quite definitely, specifically, from my wording it is quite clear when the goal will be achieved?”