The SMART Technique for Achieving Goals

Approximate reading time: 4m 51s

“The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score a goal.” - Bill Copeland

Do you sometimes feel as if you are giving it your all, but achieving nothing? What do you see when you think back over the last five to ten years? Do you realize that time is passing and your skills and achievements seem to be stuck at the same level? It is hard for you to even imagine how you could fulfill your ambitions in the near future.

Many people spend their lives rushing from one job to another, hurrying in an attempt to shed as many duties as possible, but in reality their results are quite meager. Setting SMART goals means that you can clarify your ideas, focus your efforts in the right way, and use your time and resources productively, thereby increasing your chances of achieving what you are striving for.
In this article, we will look at what SMART goals are and how you can use them to realize your desires.

What does SMART mean?

SMART is an acronym for a technique through which you organize everything related to your goals - from their initial definition to achieving the final result and reaching them. Its criteria are usually attributed to Peter Drucker’s concept of "Management by Objectives". The first known use of the term appears in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran. Since then, Professor Robert S. Rubin of Saint Louis University wrote in an article for the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology that SMART has a different meaning for each individual.

Sign up for our training courses, which will improve your skills and contribute to your success!

To make sure your goals are clear and achievable, each one should be:

• Specific (simple, reasonable, significant);
• Measurable (clear, motivating);
• Achievable (agreed upon, attainable).
• Relevant (reasonable, realistic, and supported by results-based resources).
• Time bound (time-limited, cost-conscious, timely, time-sensitive).

Some authors have expanded the term SMART to focus on additional areas, such as SMARTER - including Evaluated and Reviewed.

How to use SMART

Paul J. Meyer - businessman, author, and founder of Success Motivation International, describes the characteristics of SMART goals in his 2003 book "Attitude Is Everything: If You Want to Go Up and Beyond". We will expand on his definitions to explore how to create, develop, and achieve your goals:

Specific

Your goal should be clear and specific; otherwise, you will not be able to focus your efforts, nor feel truly motivated to achieve it. When setting your goal, try to answer the following five questions:

• What do I want to achieve?
• Why is this goal important?
• Who is involved in achieving it?
• Where is it located?
• What resources or constraints are involved in the process of achieving it?

Example: Imagine that you are currently a specialist in the Marketing department and would like to become its manager. A specific goal could be: "I want to acquire the skills and experience I need to become a successful manager. Everything that will help me build my career and manage a successful team."

Measurable (Measurable results)

It is important for your goals to be measurable - this way you will track your progress and remain motivated throughout. Knowing where you are on the path to achievement will keep you focused while meeting deadlines. You will feel the excitement of moving closer to the finish line more strongly with each step.

A measurable goal should answer questions such as:

• How much work is left?
• How much longer will it take to complete the project?
• How will I know when the goal has been achieved?

Example: You could set a five-year deadline in which to complete the necessary training courses and gain the required experience to fulfill your goal - in this case, becoming the manager of the Marketing department.

Achievable

Make sure your goal is realistic and attainable, and that even if you have to put in all your effort and skills, in the end they will not have been in vain. By carrying out this SMART step, you may notice options or resources that had previously been overlooked and could turn out to be suitable for your plan.

An achievable goal usually answers questions such as:

• How can I achieve this goal?
• How realistic is it, given existing constraints such as financial factors?

You may need to ask yourself whether developing the skills required to hold the position of Marketing department manager overlaps with your experience and qualifications. For example, do you have enough time to complete the necessary training effectively? Do you have the required resources available? Can you afford to do it?

Tip: Be careful not to set goals that are under someone else’s control. For example, to get a promotion, it depends on who else applies and on the decision of the recruitment specialist. But "to acquire the experience and training I need in order to apply for that promotion" depends entirely on you.

Relevant

Make sure that what you are striving for is important to you and that it aligns with other relevant goals. All of us need support and assistance to realize our desires, but it is very important to retain control over them. Make sure the plans move all the people involved in the execution process forward, but that you yourself are responsible for achieving your own goal.

A relevant goal can answer "yes" to the following questions:

• Is it worth pursuing?
• Is this the right time to do it?
• Does it align with your other efforts/needs?
• Are you the right person to achieve this goal?
• Is it applicable in the current socio-economic environment?

Example: You may want to acquire the skills to become the manager of the Marketing department in your organization, but is now the right time to undertake the necessary training, or to work on gaining additional qualifications? Are you sure that you are the right person for the position of Marketing department manager? Have you considered your family situation? For example, if you want to start a family, would completing the training make your plans more difficult?

Time bound

Every goal needs a specific deadline to focus on and something to work on in the meantime. This way, you prevent day-to-day tasks from taking precedence over your long-term goals.

A time-bound goal usually answers the questions:

• When?
• What can I do in six months?
• What can I do in six weeks?
• What can I do today?

Example: Acquiring the skills to hold the position of Marketing department manager may require additional training or experience, as mentioned earlier. How long will it take you to qualify? It is important to set a deadline for the smaller projects that lead to achieving the main goal as well.

Learn "10 signs that you will succeed in life".

Advantages and disadvantages

SMART is an effective tool that provides the clarity, focus, and motivation you need to achieve your goals. It can also improve your ability to achieve them by encouraging you to define your goals and set a deadline for their completion. The SMART technique is easy for anyone to use anywhere, without the need for additional specialized tools or training.

Different interpretations of SMART show that it can lose its effectiveness or be misunderstood. Some people believe that SMART does not work well for long-term goals because it lacks flexibility, while others think it stifles creativity.

 Sign up for training courses, which will help you achieve your goals.

Summary

SMART is a well-established tool that you can use to plan and realize your goals. Although there are several interpretations of its meaning, the most common is that your desires should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. By using SMART, you create clear, achievable, and meaningful goals while maintaining the motivation, action plan, and support needed to achieve them.

See more in the article Setting Personal Goals