How to Set SMART Goals

Co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC

Updated: May 26, 2019

SMART is an acronym that represents a framework for creating effective goals. It stands for five qualities your goals should have. They should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. The SMART method is one of the most popular and effective tools for creating realistic and achievable goals. You might be at the helm of a 300-person organization or you might be a small business entrepreneur. Or, you might be somebody who simply wants to shed 20 pounds. Regardless, learning how to set SMART goals can improve your chances of success.

Part One of Five:
Making your Goal Specific (S)

  1. 1
    Decide what you want. Your first step in any goal-setting framework must be to decide what it is you hope to achieve. Try not to be to general and make sure that you are making the goal for yourself, not to impress someone else.
    • Whether your goal is long-term or short term, most people start out with only a general idea of what they want. You move from the general to the specific by adding details and defining your terms.[1]
    • For example, maybe your initial goal is be healthier. Knowing that will be your basis for creating a more specific goal.
  2. 2
    Get specific. "Specific" is the "S" in SMART. You have a much greater chance of accomplishing a specific goal than a general goal.[2] So, your task at this stage is to translate your thoughts from step one into something more precise.
    • Following the example in the previous step, you would ask yourself what "healthier" means to you? What in your life needs to be better?
    • The goal has to be concrete and clear. Including numbers such as "I will go to the gym twice a week", can help. Nebulous and fluffy goals like "feel better" or "look better" are not easy to determine progress. Pick a goal that will be measurable. Examples:
      • Lose or gain (x) amount of weight.
      • Be able to run a 5K
      • Cut sodium intake in my diet
  3. 3
    Determine who is involved. A good way to make certain your goal is specific enough is to answer the 5 "W" questions: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Start by asking who is involved.[3]
    • Typically goals will center around you. But, some goals will require you to work with or for others.
    • Example: Losing weight will naturally be you, but you may realize you need help of a nutritionist, a walking partner, and the support of your spouse to see it through.
  4. 4
    Ask what specifically you want to accomplish. This is the basic question of what goal you hope to achieve. It needs to be a concrete, specific goal that can be measured. [4]
    • If you want to lose weight be specific! How much weight do you hope to lose? What is the smart amount? This means figuring out what is a healthy goal weight for you.
    • Self-improvement goals like "gain confidence" is too fuzzy and broad, but something like, "Give the keynote speech at the conference", "ask out Chris to dinner", or "ride a subway" are all specific things that when accomplished will demonstrate self-confidence.
  5. 5
    Determine where this will happen. Identify a location in which you will do the work of striving for your goal.[5]
    • If you want to lose weight, you could exercise at work (going for a walk during lunch hour), at home (doing a home body weight workout or using weights), and at a gym.
    • 'Where' can be physical or virtual such as on-line. For instance, it does not matter if you find a date by meeting prospective matches by first meeting them on-line or in real life.
  6. 6
    Think about when this will happen. Establish a realistic time frame or deadline for achieving your goal.[6] This will come more sharply into focus later in the process of goal setting. For now, just think about the big picture. Goals can always be extended if needed, but having a timeframe avoids having fuzzy and vague plans to do things.
    • If your goal is to lose 20 pounds, you might be able to achieve that in a few months. On the other hand, if your goal is to get a degree in physics, a reasonable time frame for that might be a few years.
    • In the example of achieving fitness, this may mean a reasonable time frame to lose weight, but also mean figuring out when you work out during the day, and considering how often.
  7. 7
    Identify which requirements and restraints as well as obstacles will be part of the process.[7] In other words, what will you need to do to achieve your goal? What obstacles will you face?
    • If your goal is to lose weight, the requirements might be exercise and a healthy diet. The obstacles might include your own aversion to exercise. Recognize this, and consider how and why do you want to overcome that?
    • Other obstacles: You may not have money for a gym, or a bad knee, or it is not a great neighborhood to walk outside at night. Consider how can these be worked around?
  8. 8
    Reflect on why you are setting this goal.[8] Jot down the specific reasons and benefits of accomplishing this goal. Understanding the "why" can be crucial to knowing if the goal you've set will actually meet your needs.
    • For example, imagine your goal is to lose 50 pounds. You hope to have more friends that way because you will feel better about yourself. But getting more friends has no direct correlation with weight loss. In that case, work on trying to be more outgoing, rather than on your appearance.
    • But if losing 50 pounds will greatly benefit your health, and you know why, write the reasons down.

Part Two of Five:
Making Your Goal Measurable (M)

  1. 1
    Create a "yardstick" for measuring outcomes. Your task now is to establish a criteria for success. This will make it easy to track your progress and know when you have achieved your goal.
    • Your criteria can be quantitative (numbers based) or descriptive (based on describing a certain outcome).[9]
    • When possible, put concrete numbers in your goals. This way you'll know without question if you're falling behind or if you're on track.
    • For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you might make your goal quantitative by saying you want to lose 30 pounds. Knowing your existing weight, it will be easy to determine when you've met your goal. A descriptive version of this goal might be "I want to be able to put on a pair of jeans I wore five years ago." Either way, your goal is measurable.
  2. 2
    Ask yourself questions to sharpen your focus. There are a number of questions you can ask yourself to make sure your goal is as measurable as possible. These include:
    • How much? For example, "how much weight do I hope to lose?"
    • How many? For example, "how many times a week do I want to go to the gym?"
    • How will I know when I've accomplished the goal?[10] Will it be when you step on a scale and see you've lost 30 pounds? Or 40?
  3. 3
    Track and measure your progress. Having measurable goals makes it easy to determine if you are making headway.
    • For example, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds, and you've lost 18, you know you're almost there. On the other hand, if a month has passed and you've only lost a pound, this might signal that it's time to change your strategy.
    • Keep a journal. This is a great way to keep track of the efforts you've made, the results you've seen, and your feelings about the process. Aim to write in it for about 15 minutes a day. This can help you keep things in perspective and can also release stress you might be feeling about your efforts.[11]

Part Three of Five:
Making Sure the Goal is Attainable (A)

  1. 1
    Assess your limitations. You want to make sure that the goal you have set can actually be achieved.[12] Otherwise, you may become discouraged.
    • Consider the restraints and obstacles you've identified and whether you'll be able to overcome them. To achieve any goal, you will face challenges. The question to consider here is whether it's reasonable to think you'll be able to accomplish the goal in the face of these challenges.
    • Be realistic about the amount of time you have to devote to your goals as well as your personal background, knowledge, and any physical limitations. Think about your objective realistically, and if you do not think you can reasonably achieve it given your current life situation, set a new one that is attainable for you in the present.
    • For example, imagine your goal is to lose some weight. If you can commit even a small amount of time to exercise each week and are willing to make some dietary changes, losing 20 pound in 6 months is probably achievable. Losing 50 pounds might or might not be, especially if there are obstacles that could prevent you from exercising regularly.
    • It's a good idea to write down all the foreseeable constraints you face as you make this assessment. This will help you develop complete picture of the task you face.
  2. 2
    Assess your level of commitment. Even if a goal is theoretically achievable, you must be committed to making the efforts necessary to reach it. Ask yourself the following questions:
    • Are you prepared to make the commitment to reach your target?
    • Are you willing to dramatically alter or at least adjust aspects of your life?
    • If not, is there a more achievable target you are willing to work for?
    • Your goal and your commitment level should match up.[13] You might find it easier to commit to losing 20 pounds for starters, but 50 pounds might seem more overwhelming. Be honest with yourself about the changes you are willing to make.
  3. 3
    Set a goal you can achieve. Once you've considered the challenges you face and your level of commitment, adjust your goal as necessary.
    • If you decide your existing goal is achievable, you can move one to the next step. But, if you conclude that it's not really a reasonable goal, consider revising it. This doesn't mean you have to give up altogether. It just means adjusting your goal to fit your reality.

Part Four of Five:
Making Your Goal Relevant (R)

  1. 1
    Reflect on your desires. Closely related to a goal's attainability is its relevance. This is the "R" in SMART. The question to ponder here is whether this goal will be fulfilling for you as individual.[14]
    • This is a moment to revisit the "why" question. Ask yourself whether this goal will truly fulfill your desires or if there's a different goal that's more important to you.
    • For example, imagine you are considering what you want to do after high school. You might be capable of getting your medical degree at a large, prestigious university. The goal is achievable for you. But, if your goal is to be a Broadway dancer, it does not matter what you could do. Getting into a pre-med program will hinder your dance career, and you would not succeed in the medical field, either.
  2. 2
    Consider your other goals and circumstances. It's also important to consider how your goal fits with other plans you have in life. Conflicting plans can create problems.
    • In other words, its important to determine if your goal fits in with the rest of what is going on in your life.
    • For example, imagine your goal is to go to an ivy league college. But, you also want to take over the family business in the next couple of years. Especially if the business isn't located near an ivy league college, this creates a conflict. You will need to reconsider one of both of these goals.
  3. 3
    Adjust your goal for relevance. If you decide your goal is relevant and and will work well with your other plans, you can move on to the last step. If not, you'll need to make some more revisions.
    • When in doubt, go with what you're passionate about. A goal that you care deeply about will be both more relevant and achievable than one you're only sort of interested in. A goal that will fulfill your dreams will be much more motivating and worthwhile to you.[15]

Part Five of Five:
Making the Goal Time-Bound (T)

  1. 1
    Choose a time frame. This means your goal should have a deadline or there should be a date set for completion.
    • Setting a timeline for your goal helps you identify and stick to the specific actions that you need to take to work towards that goal. It removes the nebulous "sometime in the future" quality that goal setting sometimes encourages.[16]
    • When you don't set a timeline, there is no internal pressure to accomplish the goal, so it can often end up on the back burner.
  2. 2
    Set benchmarks. Especially if your goal is very long-term, it can be useful to break it up into smaller goals. This can help you measure your progress and make it manageable.[17]
    • For example, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds in the next 5 months, you would set a benchmark goal of about one pound a week. This is less daunting and creates an incentive for consistent effort, rather than a big push to lose weight during the last couple of months. You can get an app that tracks your diet and exercise to make sure you're taking the necessary steps to reach your goal every day. And, if this turns out to be too much for you, you can go back and revise the goal to make it more achievable.
  3. 3
    Focus on the long term and the short term. Consistent progress toward your goals means keeping one eye on today and eye on the future. Within your established time frame, you might ask yourself:
    • What can I do today to reach my goal? If the goal is to lose 20 pounds in five months, one daily goal might be getting 30 minutes of exercise every day. Another might be switching to healthy snacks like fruit and nuts, rather than potato chips.
    • What can I do over the next 3 weeks to reach my goal? Here, the answer might involve creating a detailed meal plan or a workout schedule.
    • What can I do over the long term reach my goal? Here, your focus will be on keeping the weight off. Your focus will be on forming habits that promote a healthy diet and active lifestyle over the long term. You might consider, for example, joining a gym or sports team.

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • Question
    How do I improve my time-management?
    Community Answer
    • Make a schedule of activities that you want to accomplish for the day and give them time slots. Most of the activities for the following day can be prepared the night before, then execute the plan in the morning. Set priorities and sequence of what you need to achieve.
    Thanks! 15 1
  • Question
    Can I achieve SMART goals in as little as two months?
    Community Answer
    • Yes, you can achieve goals quickly if you make them SMART goals and set your mind on them.
    Thanks! 31 7
  • Question
    What if my goal is not completed by the end of the year?
    Community Answer
    • In that case, try to figure out why it wasn't completed. Then reassess your goal, tweak it, and try again.
    Thanks! 22 5
  • Question
    How do I set smart goals in a Direct Selling industry?
    Community Answer
    • Decide on what you want to sell and what type of product is it. Decide on who else is involved and who you want to sell this product to. Figure out what is it that you want to accomplish by selling this product and finally, make your goal measurable, attainable and relevant.
    Thanks! 21 7
  • Question
    How do I earn good grades?
    Community Answer
    • Start by figuring out which subjects you may need extra help in. Ask your parents or teachers for help and maybe even look into some tutoring. Take notes during class and refer back to them while you're working on homework to help you better understand everything. Aim to begin working on assignments the day you receive them rather than waiting until the day before they're due.
    Thanks! 10 3
  • Tell me about your experience about making goal?
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  • List the important milestones along the way to your target. You can pair each milestone with a reward. Small incentives can help you stay motivated.[18]
    0 Helpful?  0
  • Try making a list of people and resources you'll need to achieve your goal. This can help you be strategic about taking the steps you need to take to attain it.
    0 Helpful?  0


  • Don't make so many goals that it is impossible to prioritize them. You'll feel like you are not accomplishing anything, and you will likely feel overwhelmed. Do up to 1 big goal and about 1-2 small goals or 3 small goals.
    16 Helpful?  2

About This Article

Licensed Professional Counselor
7 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 43
Updated: May 26, 2019
Views: 641,674
Article Summary

To set a SMART goal, start by choosing a goal that’s specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, set a specific goal such as losing 20 pounds, and finding a way to keep track of your weight loss so that it’s measurable. Next, set realistic expectations, like losing 2 pounds a week, so that your goal is attainable. Then, make sure your goal is relevant, or fulfilling for you as an individual, rather than something you feel pressured to do. Finally, make the goal time-bound by setting a deadline for when you want to achieve your goal.


  1. Fischhoff, B., Slovic, P., & Lichtenstein, S. (1988). Knowing what you want: Measuring labile values. Decision Making: Descriptive, Normative and Prescriptive Interactions, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 398-421. (Chapter 18)
  2. Morisano, D., Hirsh, J. B., Peterson, J. B., Pihl, R. O., & Shore, B. M. (2010). Setting, elaborating, and reflecting on personal goals improves academic performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(2), 255.)

Reader Success Stories

  • MT

    Morgan Trask

    Dec 13, 2016

    "Looking at these methods helps guide me in the right direction. If I'm not sure what to do to improve myself or get out of a bad situation, these always help straighten out my mind and show me multiple ways to achieve my goals."..." more
  • SM

    Samuel Mendy

    Feb 2, 2018

    "As matter of fact, the two steps (SMART and the 5 W questions) have given me a great insight on how to plan efficiently and effectively in all my endeavors."..." more
  • MH

    Michelle Hefford

    Jul 15, 2016

    "It has easy, simple and sensible steps. It would also be good to have organizational/project examples rather than personal examples."..." more
  • JD

    Janet Donmoyer

    Jun 8, 2016

    "Very informational.Teaches how to organize your lifestyle and stay connected. Awesome! Learning something new is wonderful."..." more
  • SJ

    Susan Jones

    Jun 5, 2017

    "I am learning about SMART goals in my MBA program, and I found this information extremely helpful especially the examples."..." more
  • A


    Mar 13, 2017

    "It really cleared the concepts for me. I've yet to implement my PI Project. Hopefully this will surely help."
  • MQ

    Magda Quinlan

    May 4, 2016

    "Appreciate the plain language and bullet points. Information is very accessible. Thank you."
  • MT

    Mehran Tajik

    Oct 21, 2017

    "This article is really motivational and takes me in a right direction to achieve my goals."
  • AP

    Amal Paranagama

    Oct 21, 2016

    "Thank you very much. This article provides a lot of information in detail."
  • A


    Oct 13, 2016

    "It was a great help to me to learn about how to start a SMART goal."
  • RJ

    Rebecca J.

    Dec 2, 2016

    "This article made me see that I actually can achieve my goals!"
  • CC

    Conny Chauke

    Sep 1, 2016

    "It was very specific on SMART goals."
  • PN

    Patricia Norman

    May 4, 2016

    "Breaks it down for new staff nicely."
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