How to set SMART goals you can stick to

Many of us revisit old goals and start planning for new ones. However, in this article, I want to show you how to set goals that you will actually be able to stick to.

Setting a new goal is an opportunity to reassess our lifestyles, rethink what we want and plan for the future. But despite our best intentions, it can be difficult to see goals through. Rather than blame our fleeting willpower, perhaps we need to review the goals themselves. Changing ourselves is not easy - but if we are prepared to think about what we want and plan for it, change is possible.

Once you have decided upon your goal, make sure that it is as clear as possible. Can you see yourself or your business achieving the goal? If not, perhaps the goal is too big or the wrong goal. Spend some time really getting to the bottom of what it is that you want to achieve. It is best if the goal has you or your business at its centre, and it is expressed positively. For example, “I am more active and exercise regularly” or “we are the ‘go-to’ business for...”.

Key questions to ask

The more clarity there is about your goal at this stage, the better. What will it be like when you have reached your goal? What will you be doing? What will you say? Where will you be?

Your goal should be something that you or your business can work towards. It is not about changing someone else. Make sure that your goal matches your values. Our values can be very powerful, and a goal that conflicts with what matters to you may be harder to sustain. Do your personal behaviours match your goals? Think about which behaviours would support the goal you've set.

Make your goals SMART

Make your goals SMART. Keep your goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

For example, if your goal is to become more active, “exercise more” is quite vague. A SMART version might be: “For the next eight weeks, I will go for a 30-minute walk three times a week.”

Specific

Think about exactly what you want to achieve. Think hard about why you want to achieve it. Being clear about what you want and why it matters to you can help give your goal direction.

Measurable

Can you measure your progress? Break your goal into steps, week by week or month by month, and keep track of what you are doing. Write your goal down and refer back to it regularly. The act of putting your plans on paper can help make them clearer.

Achievable

Is the goal possible? Perhaps you have been unrealistic in the past. Break your goal down into small bite-size chunks. Many people fall by the wayside simply because their goals are too big and therefore seem unachievable. Dividing a goal into smaller chunks can make it seem more achievable.

Relevant

Check that any short-term objectives you set yourself are aligned to the direction you want to take overall. Making small gains towards your goal is better than giving up and missing your goal altogether.

Think in advance about what you'll do if things don't go to plan. A missed step doesn't have to mean abandoning the whole goal. There may be some turbulence and things may get sticky, but you can review what happened, adjust your plan and continue.

Time-bound

Create a timeline for achieving your goal. When will you start? What will you aim to do each week? When will you review your progress? Identify what you want to accomplish and when you want to accomplish it by, and reassess it regularly to make sure you are on track.

If we really want to achieve something, we may have to work at it. Make the goal clear, break it into manageable steps, review your progress and don't let one setback become a reason to give up.