In this post, we’re going to look at what a SMART GOAL is and why they’re a powerful way to set your goals. I’ll also share some SMART GOALS examples.
SMART GOALS are…
- S – Specific
- M – Measurable
- A – Achievable
- R – Relevant
- T – Time-Based
You may find slightly different variations but this is the combination that I find the most effective. For example, R sometimes stands for reasonable. I personally think that would be covered with ACHIEVABLE.
For me personally, I believe RELEVANT is much more useful. A relevant goal is a match for your ideal life or ideal business and not some random goal for the sake of having a goal.
You can also read about my EMPOWERED S.M.A.R.T Goals with a free 7-day trial to my paid Newsletter and Empowered Accountability Zone.
Make your goals SPECIFIC
Vague goals get vague results. Specific goals are far easier to work on. A specific goal may be… I will write over 7,000 words each week.
A vague goal would be… I will write more. 1 more word is more, 100,000 words are more. This goal is not going to help you or motivate you.
Your goal must be MEASURABLE
A measurable goal has a clear point when you know that you’ve achieved your goal. For example, I will write 100 blog posts this year.
I can track my progress each week, each month and I will know exactly when I have achieved this goal.
Again, when your goals are vague such as I’ll write more… You don’t have a clear point when you know you’ve achieved the goal.
Is your goal ACHIEVABLE?
Now, I love really big goals and I’m the last person to say that’s not achievable, but in this case, it’s important to ask yourself, is this achievable for me?
For example, If I set myself a goal to run a marathon next week, NOPE, that’s not achievable. I’ve done no training at all and even running a mile would be a push, so no, this is not achievable for me right now.
If I set a goal to run a marathon 1 year from now, that is achievable. I can start my training now and gradually build up my strength and running time.
Is your goal RELEVANT?
Is your goal relevant to the ultimate life you want for yourself? For example, I’m currently working toward a big goal of creating a 6-figure blogging business.
One of my current goals is to increase my blog sessions (a session is a person visiting your site) to over 50,000 per month. In this case, my current goal is relevant to my big goal.
Make your goal TIME-BASED
Give your goal a deadline. For many of us, this is incredibly powerful. For example, if I had a project that I wanted to do and gave myself 12 months to do it, chances are I’d put it off to do it later.
If I had that same project and a deadline to complete it fully within 1 month, I’d get on with it and get it done.
A deadline will often create a PUSH that’s needed to get started and create a sense of urgency.
Tip. If you have a goal that will stretch over a few years, I encourage you to break your goal down into something you can achieve within a much shorter time of a year, even a month.
For example, if you want to buy your own home within the next 4 years, your goal for this year might be – I will save £20,000 toward my house deposit this year.
3 SMART GOAL EXAMPLES
- S – Specific
- M – Measurable
- A – Achievable
- R – Relevant
- T – Time-Based
I will write 100 blog posts by the end of the year
- This is a specific goal because I know exactly what the goal is
- It’s measurable – I can track my ongoing progress and I will know exactly when I’ve achieved this goal
- I can achieve this goal if I put in the time and effort consistently throughout the year
- It’s relevant to my big goal of creating a 6-figure blogging business
- It’s time-based because it needs to be completed by the end of the year
I will have the money to buy myself a brand new, red Toyota Car by June 21st (add the year of completion)
- This is a specific goal – a red, brand-new, Toyota car (you can get even more specific)
- It’s measurable – I will have achieved this goal when I have the money available to purchase the car. I can also track my savings monthly.
- It’s achievable by setting up a special savings account and paying into it monthly
- It’s relevant. Part of my ideal life includes being able to buy myself a brand-new car that I love to drive
- I’ve given myself a clear time frame to achieve this goal
I will be at my ideal weight of 9 stone 10 pounds by 8 am on Christmas Eve (add the year)
- This goal is nice and specific and measurable, I know exactly what I need to achieve – To weigh 9 stone 10 pounds. I will know exactly when I’ve achieved this goal and I can track my progress each week.
- It’s achievable if I continue with my regular weight loss through healthy eating and exercise.
- It’s relevant. One of my big goals is to achieve my ideal weight.
- I have a deadline to aim for. This will definitely motivate me and help to keep me on track.
I hope you’ve found my examples helpful. I personally find SMART goals a very effective way of setting my goals.
More tips to achieve your goals
I love writing about goal setting and I’d love you to check out these posts to help you achieve your goals.
- Monthly Goal Setting Plus Goal Setting Planner pdf
- 5 Powerful Things You Must Do After You Set Your Goals
- Simple Goal Setting Guide
- Yearly Goals For All Areas Of Your Life
- Goal Setting Tips
- The Three Most Important Factors Of Goal Setting
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