15 Examples of SMART Goals To Become More Joyful
Want to learn about and see examples of SMART goals? You’ve come to the right place!
Setting goals is essential for personal and professional growth, but not all goals are created equal. Enter the concept of SMART goals – a proven method for creating ambitious yet attainable objectives.
Thus, if you’re interested in creating and following through with a big plan for your life, we’ll dive into what SMART goals are and why they are a game-changer for creating meaningful progress or change. No matter what you want to accomplish, understanding and implementing SMART goals is the key to unlocking your full potential.
So, let’s explore what SMART goals are all about and how they can supercharge your success.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information.
What Are Smart Goals And Why Are They So Smart?
The SMART acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Each of these elements plays a crucial role in creating and achieving a clear and attainable goal. Let’s look at each element and then use them to create some examples of SMART GOALs.
Specific
A SMART goal must be specific. This means it is well-defined and focused. It answers the questions of who, what, where, when, and why, clearly understanding what is to be accomplished. For example: “I will increase my sales performance by acquiring three new business clients per month for the next six months.”
Measurable
A system must be in place to track and assess progress. Therefore, establishing specific criteria for measuring progress is essential for staying on course and evaluating success. Such as, “I will track my progress by recording the number of new clients acquired each week while working to reach my target of three per month within the specified time frame.”
Achievable
Goals must be realistic and attainable within the constraints of resources, time, and other commitments. Setting goals that are too far out of reach can lead to frustration and demotivation. An example of an achievable goal would be: “I will initiate a new social media campaign and allocate one hour each day for prospecting and outreach.”
Relevant
A SMART goal should align with your overall objectives and be meaningful in the context of your broader aspirations. It’s essential to make sure the goal is relevant to your personal or professional growth. For example: “Increasing sales performance aligns with my overall business growth objectives and helps expand my customer base and revenue.”
Time-Bound
Setting a deadline creates a sense of urgency and helps prevent procrastination. It provides a clear target to work toward, aiding in prioritization and time management. Such as, “I will achieve this goal within the next six months.” This allows the goal-setter to engineer a plan that can meet the deadline.
A SMART Goal Analogy
A goal holds the goal-setter accountable to meet it. A SMART goal allows the goal setter to take clear-cut steps in assessing progress until the goal is met.
The diagram below shows the skeleton of a SMART goal. The muscle of the SMART goal is the step-by-step action plan for meeting the goal. Lastly, the flesh is the successful completion of the goal.
Next, let’s clarify how to create a SMART goal.
Clarifying Examples of SMART Goals
SPECIFIC Example: I will perform a planking exercise every day for five full minutes.
Now, we have a specific goal that tells us what we want to accomplish.
MEASUREMENT Example: I will use a stopwatch to time myself for five minutes while planking.
A plan is now in place to measure our progress.
ATTAINABLE Example: I will do a plank pose for one full minute on the first day. On each following day, I will increase the time by 30 seconds until I reach my end goal of five full minutes daily.
It is difficult for the average person to begin with planking five full minutes. Therefore, we now have an attainable plan that makes our goal achievable.
RELEVANT Example: Performing this planking exercise will help me meet my overall aspirations of decreasing my belly fat and building my core strength.
Therefore, the goal is relevant to our wants, needs, and values.
TIME-BOUND Example: I will perform this exercise every day for 365 days.
Now, we have an end date to accomplish the goal.
Complete goal example: I want to decrease my belly fat, so I will plank for one full minute on day one. Then, on each subsequent day, I will increase my plank time by 30 seconds until I reach my end goal of five full minutes daily for the next 365 days.
This gives us a complete and easy-to-follow SMART goal that increases our chance for success.
15 Examples of SMART Goals
Here are 15 examples of SMART Goals to help you start accomplishing your aspirations.
- Because I want to be an author, I will write and complete a novel of 325 pages by the end of this year.
- I want to grow our company, so I will collaborate with my business partner and develop a solid plan to expand by the end of next month.
- Because I want to expand my horizons, I will learn a new hobby within the next three months.
- I love to travel, so I will visit Hawaii for seven days next July.
- Because I’ve become too isolated and want to be more social, I will call five girlhood friends this month to reconnect.
- I don’t want to lose my relationship with my brother, so I will call him every other Thursday for 12 months.
- Because I want to grow a following, I will develop one free digital product every week and publish it on my social media site for the next year.
- I want to create happy memories with my children, so I will play games with them for at least one hour every Friday night for an entire year.
- Because I want to become healthier, I will join a gym on Monday and exercise for 45 minutes three times a week for one year.
- I want to be more alert, so I will go to bed at 10 PM every night and get eight full hours of sleep through the next six months.
- Because I want my child to learn and grow, I will teach her the entire alphabet by the end of 90 days.
- I want to help others, so I will volunteer for three hours a week at the local food bank for one year.
- Because I want a better life balance, I will work no overtime for the next six months.
- I want to grow personally, so I will journal daily for 5-10 minutes.
- Because I want to be healthier, I will avoid soda pop for the next six months. Instead, I will drink flavored water.
Tips To Make SMART Goals Work For You
When creating your goals, knowing what not to do is as important as knowing what to do! These tips will help ensure success.
- Avoid making the goal too complicated. Break it down into smaller goals. Think of a SMART goal strategy as the process of creating small ladders of goals to reach a single, larger SMART goal!
- Be flexible. If your needs change or the goal no longer fits, adjust it to a more efficient goal that works better. Examine the goal regularly to check your progress and make adjustments where needed.
- Reward yourself in small ways whenever smaller goal steps are met. No matter how minute the progress is, it’s important to celebrate it.
- Remember that an unreliable or unattainable goal is more of a wish than a goal.
- Prioritize tasks and allocate specific time slots for goal-related activities to maintain focus and prevent procrastination.
- Identifying and developing needed skills and knowledge to achieve the goal enhances your capability and increases the likelihood of success.
- Involving others, seeking mentorship, or building a support network provides valuable insights, resources, and encouragement to stay motivated and on track.
Reasons SMART Goals Fail
SMART goals can fail for various reasons. Some common reasons to be aware of include:
- Lack of commitment: If one isn’t fully committed to achieving the goal, it often results in poor effort and motivation.
- Unrealistic expectations: Setting overly ambitious or unattainable goals can lead to frustration and giving up on the goal. This is especially true when the resources, skills, or time required to achieve the goal are unrealistic.
- Inadequate planning: Failing to develop a clear and comprehensive plan to achieve the SMART goal hinders progress. This lack of clarity causes uncertainty about the necessary steps to take.
- Poor communication: When goals are not effectively communicated to all relevant parties, misunderstandings can occur. These breakdowns hinder goal attainment.
- Lack of accountability: Without clear assignments of accountability and responsibility, there may be a lack of ownership and follow-through.
Final Thoughts On Examples of SMART Goals
A SMART goal tells you exactly where to put your focus and effort. Therefore, it helps you visualize where you want to be and how you’ll be able to get there. It offers a structured and effective approach to goal-setting. Thus, it provides a clear roadmap for turning aspirations into tangible achievements.
As you set out on a journey to achieve your SMART goals, remember the importance of commitment, planning, and adaptability. Embrace the process of breaking down larger goals into manageable tasks, tracking progress, maintaining flexibility, and seeking support when needed. With these strategies in place, you’ll confidently navigate the path toward realizing your ambitions.
Integrating SMART goals into your plans is an invigorating catalyst for transformative change. Harness the power of SMART goals to unlock your full potential and chart a course toward meaningful and impactful accomplishments. Use them wisely and turn your dreams into reality!
References
You may also like:
How To Get Motivated (When You Don’t Feel Like It!)
Growth Mindset Affirmations: How To Empower Success
Building a Positive Mindset: How to Rewire Your Thoughts
How To Follow Your Dream: What You Need to Know
Additional Helpful Information: Guide to Smart Goal Setting with Free Goals Worksheet
I love how you explain SMART goals and have examples! As always I enjoyed your article and look forward to reading more!
Thank you, Julie! From my experience, I’ve found that we go further in life when we set actual goals and form a plan to see them through!
Thanks for these examples! I will steal a few of them, especially the one about reading a book a week and not working overtime for better work/life balance. I’m not new to SMART goals, but I always use them for my business rather than to become joyful or for personal reasons. Look like I need to start doing that more often.
That’s the great thing about SMART Goals! That they can be used for any purpose you need! And they increase your chances for success.
Love this post! Super helpful information about smart goals. I like how you set them up!
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
A comprehensive way to explain smart goal setting. I loved the fact that you’ve taken a relatable example to explain the smart goal analogy. Awesome read indeed!
I love this method of setting goals. I am one to set realistic goals and to accomplish them. I feel so much better setting goals and being able to check them off my list.
As I gear up to be more organized and productive next year. I really need articles like this that I can refer to. Thank you so much for sharing.
Goal setting is the key to success. Thanks for sharing!