SMART goals are established using a specific set of criteria that ensures your goals are attainable. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
When writing a SMART goal, you work through each of those terms to build a goal that shares exactly what needs to be accomplished, when it needs to be accomplished by, and how you’ll know when you’re successful. Setting goals this way is helpful, because it eliminates generalities and guesswork, sets a clear finish line, and makes it that much easier to track progress and identify missed targets.
S: Specific
In order for a goal to be effective, it needs to be specific. That’s why the first letter of this acronym is dedicated to digging into those nitty gritty details.
M: Measurable
That above goal is a solid start. But, take another look, because it’s missing something important: numbers.
A: Achievable
Goals should be empowering — not high pedestals from which you eventually tumble. That’s why this letter of the acronym is dedicated to ensuring that your goal is achievable (you’ll also often see this letter dedicated to the synonym ‘attainable’).
R: Relevant
Nobody wants to set goals for the sake of setting them. There should be a real benefit attached to actually reaching that target.
T: Time-bound
Goals can’t stretch into infinity – they need a deadline. That’s the important final piece of SMART goals. They need to be time-bound (also frequently referred to as ‘timely’).
Here’s the template:
Our goal is to [quantifiable objective] by [timeframe or deadline]. [Key players or teams] will accomplish this goal by [what steps you’ll take to achieve the goal]. Accomplishing this goal will [result or benefit].
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