{"id":215796,"date":"2024-03-26T10:13:50","date_gmt":"2024-03-26T15:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/?page_id=215796"},"modified":"2026-03-28T12:04:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T17:04:16","slug":"smart-goals","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/smart-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"SMART Goals"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>SMART Goals<\/h1>\n\n\t\t\t<div id=\"mmDeferVideoEncompass_TPSsCpwEiaU\" style=\"position: relative;\">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\">\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> \n\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" id=\"videoThumbnailImage_TPSsCpwEiaU\" data-source-videoID=\"TPSsCpwEiaU\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" alt=\"SMART Goals Video\" height=\"720\" width=\"1280\" class=\"size-full\" data-matomo-title = \"SMART Goals\">\n\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<style>img#videoThumbnailImage_TPSsCpwEiaU:hover {cursor:pointer;} img#videoThumbnailImage_TPSsCpwEiaU {background-size:contain;background-image:url(\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/new-thumb-7.webp\");}<\/style>\n\t\t\t<script defer>\n\t\t\t  jQuery(\"img#videoThumbnailImage_TPSsCpwEiaU\").click(function() {\n\t\t\t\tlet videoId = jQuery(this).attr(\"data-source-videoID\");\n\t\t\t\tlet helpTag = '<div id=\"mmDeferVideoYTMessage_TPSsCpwEiaU\" style=\"display: none;position: absolute;top: -24px;width: 100%;text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;font-size: small;border-top: 1px solid #fc0;\">Having trouble? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v='+videoId+'\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to watch on YouTube.<\/a><\/span><\/div>';\n\t\t\t\tlet tag = document.createElement(\"iframe\");\n\t\t\t\ttag.id = \"yt\" + videoId;\n\t\t\t\ttag.src = \"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/\" + videoId + \"?autoplay=1&controls=1&wmode=opaque&rel=0&egm=0&iv_load_policy=3&hd=0&enablejsapi=1\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.frameborder = 0;\n\t\t\t\ttag.allow = \"autoplay; fullscreen\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.width = this.width;\n\t\t\t\ttag.height = this.height;\n\t\t\t\ttag.setAttribute(\"data-matomo-title\",\"SMART Goals\");\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_TPSsCpwEiaU\").html(tag);\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_TPSsCpwEiaU\").prepend(helpTag);\n\t\t\t\tsetTimeout(function(){jQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoYTMessage_TPSsCpwEiaU\").css(\"display\", \"block\");}, 2000);\n\t\t\t  });\n\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t\n<div class=\"accordion\"><input id=\"transcript\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"transcript\">Transcript<\/label>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"transcript-spoiler\">\n<p>If I told you that I want to be an astronaut when I grow up, you\u2019d probably have lots of follow-up questions. \u201cWhy do you want that?\u201d \u201cAren&#8217;t you scared of heights?\u201d  \u201cWait, aren\u2019t you already a grown up?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the day, I just enjoy fantasizing about being an astronaut on the moon. I don\u2019t have any plans to achieve it, and it\u2019s not realistic. It may be a fun dream, but it\u2019s not a goal of mine. Goals are much more tangible and can push us to achieve new things.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a famous saying that goes, \u201cDreams can inspire you, but goals can change your life.\u201d You probably have lots of things you want to do in your life, and as long as they don\u2019t take place on the Moon, you can achieve them. As motivational speaker Tony Robbins once said, \u201cSetting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Today, we\u2019re talking about SMART goals. What are they, and how can you use them to change your life?<\/p>\n<p>Hard work is important, but without goals, you might not know what you\u2019re working toward. To make actual progress in improving your life, you need to set goals and make sure they\u2019re \u201cSMART.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now, when I say SMART goals, I\u2019m 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 <strong>S<\/strong>pecific, <strong>M<\/strong>easurable, <strong>A<\/strong>chievable, <strong>R<\/strong>elevant, and <strong>T<\/strong>ime-bound.<\/p>\n<h2>S (Specific)<\/h2>\n<p>\nThis is Tom. He set a new year\u2019s resolution: \u201cDo something good.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>While that\u2019s certainly a noble goal, it\u2019s not very specific!<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Tom makes his goal SMART. Instead of \u201cdoing something good,\u201d he now plans to \u201chelp others through volunteer work in my community.\u201d Now that he\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<h2>M (Measurable)<\/h2>\n<p>\nThis is Francesca. Last year, she started an online store to sell her hand-crafted wooden trains, but she hasn\u2019t had much success. She\u2019s very passionate about her craft, so she set a goal: \u201csell more trains.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a good start, but it needs a bit of work.<\/p>\n<p>SMART goals need to be measurable. Ask yourself &#8220;how much&#8221; or &#8220;how many,&#8221; &#8220;when&#8221; or &#8220;at what rate,&#8221; and &#8220;at what point will you know you\u2019ve achieved the goal.&#8221; This will help you track your progress and stay motivated.<\/p>\n<p>Francesca makes her goal SMART by setting a more specific sales goal. By June, she\u2019ll have sold 150 total units. Now that she\u2019s picked a number for her goal, she can measure how she\u2019s doing, and even set benchmarks along the way.<\/p>\n<h2>A (Achievable)<\/h2>\n<p>\nThis is Kenny. He\u2019s had some health concerns, and, at age 40, isn\u2019t in the best shape of his life. That\u2019s why he\u2019s set a goal for himself: \u201cPlay in the NBA.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>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\u2019s better to set goals you can accomplish, then continue setting more goals and challenging yourself further from there.<\/p>\n<p>A note when setting achievable goals: Make sure the goal is still challenging. The goal of goals is to push yourself, so if they\u2019re too easy, they won\u2019t be doing their job. There\u2019s a sweet spot in between easy and impossible, and that\u2019s what you should aim for.<\/p>\n<p>Kenny alters his goal from \u201cplaying in the NBA\u201d to \u201closing 20 pounds in 4 months.\u201d This goal will take hard work and diligence, but he will achieve it if he puts his mind to it. Even though it\u2019s too late for him to play on basketball\u2019s 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 &#8211; that corner 3 is deadly.<\/p>\n<h2>R (Relevant)<\/h2>\n<p>\nThis is Diane. She\u2019s 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\u2019s why she\u2019s resolved to improve her Ping-Pong serve.<\/p>\n<p>Wait, what?<\/p>\n<p>SMART goals should fit into the bigger picture of your life. That\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<p>Diane continues to play Ping-Pong in her free time, because it\u2019s fun and she\u2019s passionate about it. But she\u2019s also set a goal that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<h2>T (Time-Bound)<\/h2>\n<p>\nThis 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\u2019s been saying that for years.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>Stephanie makes her goal SMART by adding a timeline. She\u2019ll 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\u2019re one step closer to exposing Steve the Ostrich\u2019s hijinks to the world.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>\nSMART 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\u2019re passionate about. In other words, they\u2019re for everybody. If you keep setting goals, you\u2019ll keep growing and improving. Challenge yourself to achieve things you want, and see how fulfilling it can be!<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s all for this review. Now get out there and build a spaceship! <\/p>\n<p>Or, you know, whatever your goal is.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"home-buttons\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/\">Mometrix Academy &#8211; Home<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SMART Goals Mometrix Academy &#8211; Home<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":239908,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-215796","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"page_type-video","7":"subject_matter-business-finance"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215796","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=215796"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215796\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":239911,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215796\/revisions\/239911"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/239908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=215796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}