SMART Goals

If I told you that I want to be an astronaut when I grow up, you’d probably have lots of follow-up questions. “Why do you want that?” “Aren’t you scared of heights?” “Wait, aren’t you already a grown up?”

At the end of the day, I just enjoy fantasizing about being an astronaut on the moon. I don’t have any plans to achieve it, and it’s not realistic. It may be a fun dream, but it’s not a goal of mine. Goals are much more tangible and can push us to achieve new things.

There’s a famous saying that goes, “Dreams can inspire you, but goals can change your life.” You probably have lots of things you want to do in your life, and as long as they don’t take place on the Moon, you can achieve them. As motivational speaker Tony Robbins once said, “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”

Today, we’re talking about SMART goals. What are they, and how can you use them to change your life?

Hard work is important, but without goals, you might not know what you’re working toward. To make actual progress in improving your life, you need to set goals and make sure they’re “SMART.”

Now, when I say SMART goals, I’m not saying that other goals are dumb. SMART is actually an acronym which helps us remember the 5 ways to ensure that our goals are useful. When setting goals for ourselves, they should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

S (Specific)

This is Tom. He set a new year’s resolution: “Do something good.”

While that’s certainly a noble goal, it’s not very specific!

When setting SMART goals, they need to be specific. Ask yourself: What do I want to do or achieve? What steps would that take? Who is involved, and what do I need? By making the goal more specific, you know what to focus on, which will help you work toward it.

Tom makes his goal SMART. Instead of “doing something good,” he now plans to “help others through volunteer work in my community.” Now that he’s specified what he wants to do and where he wants to do it, he can start working toward his goal by researching charities near him.

M (Measurable)

This is Francesca. Last year, she started an online store to sell her hand-crafted wooden trains, but she hasn’t had much success. She’s very passionate about her craft, so she set a goal: “sell more trains.”

That’s a good start, but it needs a bit of work.

SMART goals need to be measurable. Ask yourself “how much” or “how many,” “when” or “at what rate,” and “at what point will you know you’ve achieved the goal.” This will help you track your progress and stay motivated.

Francesca makes her goal SMART by setting a more specific sales goal. By June, she’ll have sold 150 total units. Now that she’s picked a number for her goal, she can measure how she’s doing, and even set benchmarks along the way.

A (Achievable)

This is Kenny. He’s had some health concerns, and, at age 40, isn’t in the best shape of his life. That’s why he’s set a goal for himself: “Play in the NBA.”

Remember, for a goal to be SMART, it needs to be achievable. This is where you might need a reality check. Ask yourself: can I really do this? Are there any major restraints which will make this impossible? If our goals are not achievable, you may become discouraged. It’s better to set goals you can accomplish, then continue setting more goals and challenging yourself further from there.

A note when setting achievable goals: Make sure the goal is still challenging. The goal of goals is to push yourself, so if they’re too easy, they won’t be doing their job. There’s a sweet spot in between easy and impossible, and that’s what you should aim for.

Kenny alters his goal from “playing in the NBA” to “losing 20 pounds in 4 months.” This goal will take hard work and diligence, but he will achieve it if he puts his mind to it. Even though it’s too late for him to play on basketball’s greatest stage, he can still take steps toward a better life. And trust me, if you see him at the Y, you want him on your team – that corner 3 is deadly.

R (Relevant)

This is Diane. She’s unfulfilled at work and even feels disrespected by her co-workers. It started with a few bad days here and there but has snowballed into a very frustrating situation every time she arrives at the office. That’s why she’s resolved to improve her Ping-Pong serve.

Wait, what?

SMART goals should fit into the bigger picture of your life. That’s why they need to be relevant. Ask yourself why you are setting this goal. Does it seem worthwhile? What will this change in your life? Our goals will have a greater impact when they align with our values, lifestyles, and even with our other goals.

Diane continues to play Ping-Pong in her free time, because it’s fun and she’s passionate about it. But she’s also set a goal that’s more relevant to her issues at work: apply to at least five new jobs every week and work someplace new by the end of the year. By keeping this goal relevant to the area she wants to improve, she will have a greater impact on her life.

T (Time-Bound)

This is Stephanie. She grew up on an ostrich farm in California. Her friends and colleagues often tell her that her stories are hilarious, so she has set a goal to write a book about her experiences. The only problem? She’s been saying that for years.

SMART goals need to be time-bound. Without a deadline, lots of people push off doing work. Ask yourself how long this would take to achieve. Do I need this done by a certain date? How many steps will it take? With time-related parameters built in, you can prevent your day-to-day tasks from pushing your long-term goals to the side.

Stephanie makes her goal SMART by adding a timeline. She’ll write 10 pages a week, minimum. Her first draft will be done by November. This will help her stay diligent and stop pushing it off! Now we’re one step closer to exposing Steve the Ostrich’s hijinks to the world.

SMART goals can help students, working professionals, business owners, athletes, and people with hobbies. They can help you with your professional life, your personal life, and anything else you’re passionate about. In other words, they’re for everybody. If you keep setting goals, you’ll keep growing and improving. Challenge yourself to achieve things you want, and see how fulfilling it can be!

That’s all for this review. Now get out there and build a spaceship!

Or, you know, whatever your goal is.