How to Set SMART Goals

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsParts of the GoalDo They Work?Goal TypesUsing in TherapyTemplateMaking Them StickNext in The End of the Resolution GuideDry January: The Benefits of a Month Without Alcohol

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Parts of the Goal

Do They Work?

Goal Types

Using in Therapy

Template

Making Them Stick

Next in The End of the Resolution Guide

Setting SMART goals in therapy or at home helps you define your intentions and put them into practice. The acronym “SMART” means that a goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

When you’re trying to make changes in your life, setting SMART goals can give you a sense of ownership and personal importance, which helps you stay motivated to make the changes stick.

SMART goals are often used in healthcare, including mental healthcare, but they can also be used in business and educational settings.

At a GlanceWe’ve all set and failed to follow through on New Year’s resolutions at some point in our lives. It’s nothing to be ashamed of—all we can do is try to set ourselves up for success.SMART goals are a strategy you can use to help you define a change you want to make and come up with a plan that will help you achieve it. SMART goals are used in all kinds of settings, including therapy, but can be a very effective method to get over the usual everyday struggles of following through on any goal.

At a Glance

We’ve all set and failed to follow through on New Year’s resolutions at some point in our lives. It’s nothing to be ashamed of—all we can do is try to set ourselves up for success.SMART goals are a strategy you can use to help you define a change you want to make and come up with a plan that will help you achieve it. SMART goals are used in all kinds of settings, including therapy, but can be a very effective method to get over the usual everyday struggles of following through on any goal.

We’ve all set and failed to follow through on New Year’s resolutions at some point in our lives. It’s nothing to be ashamed of—all we can do is try to set ourselves up for success.

SMART goals are a strategy you can use to help you define a change you want to make and come up with a plan that will help you achieve it. SMART goals are used in all kinds of settings, including therapy, but can be a very effective method to get over the usual everyday struggles of following through on any goal.

SMART: Breaking Down the Parts of the Goal

The letters in “SMART” tell you that the goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. But what does each of those words mean in practice?

Let’s look at an example. You’ve noticed that you’re not feeling rested and want to make sleep more of a priority in your life. Here’s how setting SMART goals can help.

Why Do SMART Goals Work?

One reason that SMART goals are a popular method is that research has shown they are an effective tool for people who want to make health-related changes in their lives.

A SMART goal gives you clear, actionable steps and a predetermined endpoint, at which time you’ll stop and reflect to see if your plan needs to be adjusted.

Types of Goals

Some goals seem more likely to succeed than others. For example, “approach” goals tend to be more effective than “avoidance” goals.In other words, try to set a goal for an action that youwantto take rather than one youdo notwant to take.

Research has also shown that “performance" goals may be less effective than “mastery” goals.A performance goal is one where you try to achieve a specific outcome—a common example would be something like “I want to lose 20 pounds.” A mastery goal is one where you learn a new skill or build on an ability you already have—for example, “I will walk every night for 30 minutes after dinner.”

When challenges come up in trying to meet a mastery goal, they are often seen as a natural part of the goal-achievement process. These challenges encourage problem-solving and active engagement.

For example, if your goal is to walk every night after dinner but work tasks have kept you from meeting that goal, you may change up your routine so you can take a walk on your lunch break because it will help you meet your goal.

On the other hand, not reaching a performance goal can feel like a failure because it involves judgment. Think about a goal of losing 20 pounds. If you don’t loseexactly20 pounds, you may feel defeated and like you’ve failed to meet your goal, even if you’ve succeeded in making some changes to your lifestyle.

If you have a performance goal in mind, it can be easier to break it down into smaller, mastery-based goals in specific, measurable ways. For example, if you want to lose 20 pounds, you could break that goal down into making dietary changes and increasing your physical activity.

How to Set SMART Goals

You can certainly set SMART goals on your own, but you may also want to use them in therapy. Your therapist may also suggest using SMART goals if you’re having trouble getting more detailed and specific about a life change you want to make.

Possible Downsides of SMART Goals

After a few weeks, you are consistently using these tools to cope with anxiety, and you’re no longer having daily panic attacks—but you’re still having them four or five times a week.

Since you did not meet your exact goal of three a week or less, you feel like you’ve failed even though you’ve made great progress and greatly improved how you deal with anxiety. In this case, setting a very specific goal might have worked against you.

Here are some examples of how you can use SMART goals, either in therapy or on your own.

S: Specific

M: Measurable

A: Attainable

R: Relevant

T: Time-Bound

SMART Goal Template

Here’s a template you can use to define your SMART goal:

Tips For Goal Setting

How to Make SMART Goals Stick

Once you’ve set and achieved a SMART goal, here are some tips that will help make it stick:

3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nelis SM, Thom JM, Jones IR, Hindle JV, Clare L.Goal-setting to promote a healthier lifestyle in later life: Qualitative evaluation of the AgeWell Trial.Clin Gerontol. 2018;41(4):335-345. doi:10.1080/07317115.2017.1416509Bailey RR.Goal setting and action planning for health behavior change.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2017;13(6):615-618. doi:10.1177/1559827617729634Banner University Health Plans.SMART goals cheat sheet.Additional ReadingBronikowski M, Bronikowska M, Maciaszek J, Glapa A.Maybe it is not a goal that matters: a report from a physical activity intervention in youth.J Sports MedPhys Fitness. 2018;58(3):348-355. doi:10.23736/S0022-4707.16.06611-1.Bryant, Cedric PhD, Green, Daniel.ACE Health Coach Manual. San Diego California, American Council on Exercise. 2013Muth, Natalie, MD. Green, Daniel.Coaching Behavior Change. San Diego California, American Council on Exercise. 2019Raggatt M, Wright CJC, Carrotte E, et al.“I aspire to look and feel healthy like the posts convey”: engagement with fitness inspiration on social media and perceptions of its influence on health and wellbeing.BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):1002. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-5930-7.

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nelis SM, Thom JM, Jones IR, Hindle JV, Clare L.Goal-setting to promote a healthier lifestyle in later life: Qualitative evaluation of the AgeWell Trial.Clin Gerontol. 2018;41(4):335-345. doi:10.1080/07317115.2017.1416509Bailey RR.Goal setting and action planning for health behavior change.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2017;13(6):615-618. doi:10.1177/1559827617729634Banner University Health Plans.SMART goals cheat sheet.Additional ReadingBronikowski M, Bronikowska M, Maciaszek J, Glapa A.Maybe it is not a goal that matters: a report from a physical activity intervention in youth.J Sports MedPhys Fitness. 2018;58(3):348-355. doi:10.23736/S0022-4707.16.06611-1.Bryant, Cedric PhD, Green, Daniel.ACE Health Coach Manual. San Diego California, American Council on Exercise. 2013Muth, Natalie, MD. Green, Daniel.Coaching Behavior Change. San Diego California, American Council on Exercise. 2019Raggatt M, Wright CJC, Carrotte E, et al.“I aspire to look and feel healthy like the posts convey”: engagement with fitness inspiration on social media and perceptions of its influence on health and wellbeing.BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):1002. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-5930-7.

Nelis SM, Thom JM, Jones IR, Hindle JV, Clare L.Goal-setting to promote a healthier lifestyle in later life: Qualitative evaluation of the AgeWell Trial.Clin Gerontol. 2018;41(4):335-345. doi:10.1080/07317115.2017.1416509Bailey RR.Goal setting and action planning for health behavior change.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2017;13(6):615-618. doi:10.1177/1559827617729634Banner University Health Plans.SMART goals cheat sheet.

Bailey RR.Goal setting and action planning for health behavior change.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2017;13(6):615-618. doi:10.1177/1559827617729634

Banner University Health Plans.SMART goals cheat sheet.

Bronikowski M, Bronikowska M, Maciaszek J, Glapa A.Maybe it is not a goal that matters: a report from a physical activity intervention in youth.J Sports MedPhys Fitness. 2018;58(3):348-355. doi:10.23736/S0022-4707.16.06611-1.Bryant, Cedric PhD, Green, Daniel.ACE Health Coach Manual. San Diego California, American Council on Exercise. 2013Muth, Natalie, MD. Green, Daniel.Coaching Behavior Change. San Diego California, American Council on Exercise. 2019Raggatt M, Wright CJC, Carrotte E, et al.“I aspire to look and feel healthy like the posts convey”: engagement with fitness inspiration on social media and perceptions of its influence on health and wellbeing.BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):1002. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-5930-7.

Bryant, Cedric PhD, Green, Daniel.ACE Health Coach Manual. San Diego California, American Council on Exercise. 2013

Muth, Natalie, MD. Green, Daniel.Coaching Behavior Change. San Diego California, American Council on Exercise. 2019

Raggatt M, Wright CJC, Carrotte E, et al.“I aspire to look and feel healthy like the posts convey”: engagement with fitness inspiration on social media and perceptions of its influence on health and wellbeing.BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):1002. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-5930-7.

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At a Glance#

SMART: Breaking Down the Parts of the Goal#

Why Do SMART Goals Work?#

Types of Goals#

How to Set SMART Goals#

Possible Downsides of SMART Goals#

S: Specific#

M: Measurable#

A: Attainable#

R: Relevant#

T: Time-Bound#

SMART Goal Template#

How to Make SMART Goals Stick#

At a Glance

SMART: Breaking Down the Parts of the Goal

Why Do SMART Goals Work?

Types of Goals

How to Set SMART Goals

Possible Downsides of SMART Goals

S: Specific

M: Measurable

A: Attainable

R: Relevant

T: Time-Bound

SMART Goal Template

How to Make SMART Goals Stick