The Modern Observer Group

Goal setting is an essential part of personal and professional development. Goals give us direction, motivation, and a clear path to follow. However, not all goals are created equal. To truly excel, it’s important to understand the different types of goals you can set and how each serves a unique purpose. To truly succeed, your goals need to be set in three parts: Minimum Acceptable Goals, SMART Goals, and Moonshot Goals.

Minimum Acceptable Goals

Minimum Acceptable Goals (MAGs) are the most basic level of achievement you’re willing to accept. They set the baseline for success and serve as your safety net, ensuring that even on your worst day, you’re still making progress. There are three key reasons for setting MAGs.

• Consistency: MAGs help you maintain a baseline of productivity, even when motivation is low.
• Psychological Safety: Knowing that you can meet at least the minimum reduces stress and helps you stay committed to long-term objectives.
• Momentum: Achieving small wins builds momentum, making it easier to tackle larger tasks.

Set a Minimum Acceptable Goal

• Identify the Core Task: Determine the absolute minimum you need to accomplish to feel that you’re moving forward. 
• Keep it Manageable: Your MAG should be so simple that it’s hard to fail. For example, if your goal is to exercise regularly, a MAG might be to do just five minutes of exercise a day.
• Focus on Daily Action: Make your MAG a daily habit, ensuring that you’re consistently working toward your broader goals.
• Example: If your overall goal is to write a book, your Minimum Acceptable Goal could be writing just one sentence a day.

SMART Goals

SMART Goals are a popular framework for setting clear and actionable objectives. They’re designed to ensure that your goals are well-defined and realistic, increasing the likelihood of success. What is a SMART Goal?

• Specific: Clearly define what you want to accomplish. The more specific your goal, the easier it is to understand what needs to be done.
• Measurable: Ensure that your goal is quantifiable, so you can track your progress and know when you’ve achieved it.
• Achievable: Set a goal that is realistic given your current resources, time, and skills.
• Relevant: Your goal should align with your broader objectives and values.
• Time-bound: Set a deadline for your goal to create a sense of urgency and keep you on track.

How to Set a SMART Goal

• Start with the Outcome: Decide exactly what you want to achieve.
• Break it Down: Outline the steps necessary to reach the goal, making sure each step is clear and attainable.
• Set a Timeline: Determine when you want to achieve your goal and set checkpoints along the way.
• Example: Instead of saying “I want to get fit,” a SMART goal would be “I will lose 10 pounds in the next 3 months by exercising 4 times a week and eating 1,800 calories a day.”

Moonshot Goals

Moonshot Goals are ambitious, bold, and often seem impossible. They push you to think beyond your current limitations and imagine what could be possible if there were no constraints. They have become more important recently because of a drawback in setting SMART Goals. Too many people focus on ensuring their goal is attainable. They do this by setting a SMART goal too low to make a difference, defeating the purpose. This has caused organizations to focus on Moonshot goals. What else do you get by setting a Moonshot goal?

• Inspiration: A Moonshot Goal inspires creativity and innovation, forcing you to think outside the box.
• Growth: Even if you don’t fully achieve a Moonshot Goal, striving toward it can lead to significant personal and professional growth.
• Breakthroughs: Many of the world’s greatest achievements started as Moonshot Goals—aiming high can lead to extraordinary outcomes.

How to Set a Moonshot Goal

• Dream Big: Think about what you would achieve if you had no limitations, financial or otherwise.
• Remove Constraints: Don’t worry about how achievable the goal seems—focus on the possibilities.
• Stay Committed: Break the goal into smaller, manageable steps, but keep your eyes on the big picture.
• Example: A Moonshot Goal might be to build a successful company from scratch in an industry you’re passionate about, or to become a published author and sell a million copies of your book.

Using all three types of goals can create a powerful strategy for success. Start with a Moonshot Goal to set your vision and inspire you. Use SMART Goals to map out actionable steps that will lead you toward that vision. Set Minimum Acceptable Goals to ensure consistent progress, even when motivation is low.

Goal setting is not just about deciding what you want to achieve; it’s about creating a structured path to get there. By setting Minimum Acceptable Goals, SMART Goals, and Moonshot Goals, you can ensure that you’re not only staying consistent and realistic but also pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Start integrating these three types of goals into your life today, and watch as your dreams begin to take shape.

See how a Modern Observer Group coach can help you set a proper goal.  Schedule a call here or contact us at the information below. Modern Observer Group programs are based on the Businetiks system as detailed in the book, “The Businetiks Way.”