An Academy of Management Review business journal article stated that stretch goals "serve as jolting events that disrupt complacency and promote new ways of thinking."
They can elevate aspirations in teams, organizations and individuals, and spark energy. They encourage innovation, playfulness, experimentation or broad learning. Thus a stretch goal can enhance creativity and innovation, and make us remarkably productive.
However, it can also prove counterproductive. A stretch goal can cause panic and convince people that it is too big to achieve. It can crush morale and push people on the back foot before the task begins. So how can this challenge be addressed? According to psychologists, there is an alternate path, one that is more concrete and specific: setting S.M.A.R.T. goals.
Read on for how you can set S.M.A.R.T goals and achieve them.
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