Have you ever felt that no matter how hard you work, you’re still falling behind somehow? Whether it’s running your first marathon or starting your very own business, it takes more than good intentions to turn it into a reality. Only when you know exactly what you’re going after, how you’ll get there and why it matters to you will you achieve the success you're seeking.

Setting SMART goals can ensure that your goals are clear and reachable. After all, by knowing exactly what you need in order to complete each step towards your goal, you’ll increase your chances of staying on task and realistically attaining the result you want.

Here’s what you need to know about what SMART goals are, how to write and execute them. Everything in one place!

What are SMART goals?

The SMART acronym stands for:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant

Time-bound

Setting SMART goals can help you develop professional and personal growth. It basically consists of breaking down big ambitions into a plan of smaller ones.

In order to create clear and tangible objectives, you must incorporate all five criteria in your goal setting. Here are the questions you’ll need to answer before getting started:

1. What do you specifically want to accomplish with your goal?
2. How are you going to measure your progress?
3. Is your goal achievable from the get go?
4. Why does the goal matter to you?
5. How much time do you need to meet your goal?

Now lets breakdown each letter of the acronym.

Specific

This might sound obvious but be specific about what your goal actually is. Objectives that are too broad or vague are less motivating, and are harder to accomplish. So when you're coming up with your goal(s), try to answer the five “W” questions: Who, what, where, when and why. 

• Who is involved in your goal?
• What do you want to achieve?
• Where will your goal be attained?
• When do you want to accomplish your goal?
• Why do you want to achieve your goal?

Answer those 5 quick questions and you'll have your "specific" covered.

Measurable

Your goal, whether it be professional or personal, must be measurable so that you can determine your progress along the way and know if you’re on the right track. By setting milestones, you can make your goal trackable and keep yourself in check. Each step in your plan will provide an opportunity to evaluate whether you’re moving toward your goal, or need to put into place action to redirect yourself back on track.

Achievable

Set goals that you can realistically achieve, to keep you motivated and on track to what you want as the outcome. Be as honest as possible with yourself about your ability to actually get them done.

Our advice on making your goal(s) attainable is to be clear on how you will accomplish it, and if the goal is not currently within reach, what skills are required so that you’ll get there. Think about what you need around yourself to achieve your dreams - for example the different types of resources you'll need (i.e., money, qualifications, investors etc)

Relevant

Ask yourself why achieving your goal matters to you. Is it worthwhile? Does it align with my current situation? You’ve selected this particular goal to take on because it resonates with your needs or desires at this moment. Make sure you understand why this goal stands out from all the rest you have.

Time-bound

Every goal needs to be time-bound to provide a sense of urgency, keep you motivated and help you prioritise what needs to be done. But make sure your timeframe is realistic so that you’ll be able to make your deadline. If your timeframe spans over too long, then your efforts might begin to dwindle down. And if it’s not enough time, then you'll most likely become frustrated and want to give up.

How to go about setting SMART goals

Don't set yourself up for failure - avoid making your goals are too broad or unrealistic. Instead, set goals that are SMART - specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely - to increase your chances of achieving them and giving you a sense of motivation to succeed. Here are our top tips to creating SMART goals:

• Use clear and precise language: Don’t use vague language such as “I want to successful in business” or "I want a nice house". This leaves a lot of room for interpretation and can cause you to lose your focus. The more specific you are, the better you’ll be at planning the steps you’ll need to take to achieve your goal.
• Let time be on your side: Give yourself enough time to meet your goals. For example, it is impossible for anyone to compete in a marathon without having trained months in advance and registering before the deadline.
• Quantify your goals: Add milestones along the way. Once you pass a milestone, push yourself to move forward to the next one. This leads you closer to the success you want to achieve.
• Stay focused: When making a SMART goal, don’t lose sight of how it benefits you and/or others.