A SMART goal is a great way to make an attainable goal that is clearly defined. When you have a clear cut goal it is easier to achieve! Think about it, you know exactly what you are working towards and can even make other mini-goals to help achieve it!
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time Bound.
Check Out More From Me: Mental Health Weekly Checklist
S: Specific
Make sure that your SMART goal is meaningful and really think about what you want to do. This letter prevents you from choosing a broad topic! Your goal should have a tangible outcome that is clear to you.
A good thing to remember for specific is the 5 W’s: Who, What, When, Where, and Why
i.e. instead of saying I want to lose weight, say I will do yoga 3x a week for 75 minutes each time!
M: Measureable
The ‘M’ in SMART goal is I think, the most important part! What does achieving this goal look like for you? Set the parameters for success so that you can hold yourself accountable. You should include numbers or other ways that you can measure your success.
Let use our weight loss example again. A measurable portion of your goal might be “I will lose 5 lbs in a month”
A: Attainable
Make sure that your goal is something that you can actually accomplish.When a goal becomes too difficult it is easy to lose motivation! Difficult goals can increase feelings of self-doubt instead of self-accomplishment.
Sure, it might be ideal to lose 5 lbs in a week but is that actually attainable or healthy? A more attainable goal might be to lose 1 lb a week!
R: Relevant
Your SMART goal should be something that is pertinent to your life. Something that you actually want to see changed and have a drive to complete!
Make sure that your goal adds something to your future plans. Also, make sure it is something that you can commit to doing and if not, it may be time to redefine it!
T: Time-Bound
Have a clear start and end date for your goal and act accordingly! Having a time frame will help you plan out action steps you need to take to achieve your goal.
For example; giving yourself a month to lose weight or working toward learning how to sew by September 1st.
To Help You Out, I Created a Free Worksheet For You to Make Your Own SMART Goal
3 Comments
Planning and setting goals for ourselves is I think one of the most important ways to have a successful life or goals, and knowing how to set them based on the SMART way is always great, thank you for sharing ❤️
I loved taking my Human Relations class because these were one of the higgest things we talked about. Goal setting especially as a college student is so important and gets even more crucial as you get older and start adulting for real. I love that you’re talking about this. Thanks!
I’m so glad they are teaching it to you! I didn’t learn this until my job out of college 🙂