The SMART goal-setting method is the smarter way to achieve your goals and success. SMART is an acronym that makes it easy to remember what steps you need to take when setting SMART goals. The letters in SMART stand for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This method helps you with organization, focus, and clarity when planning your path to achieving your big goals. Since the first step in SMART goals stands for “specific,” we will define how to make your SMART goals specific.
Why Your Goals Should Be Specific
Why should your goals be specific? The answer to this is pretty simple. Goals that are too vague can set you up for failure. It can produce a lack of direction and ability to focus on what’s important. When you get specific in the details of your goal, you are much more likely to achieve it.
Let’s use the example of a common health goal many people make for themselves. They may say they are setting a goal to drink more water every day. This goal is far too general and lacks the details needed to know you are truly meeting your goal. The lack of specifics will enable you to make excuses for not hitting your goal. The wording of this goal doesn’t hold you accountable. It’s not enough of a detailed plan to follow through. By clarifying the specifics, you can easily achieve this daily goal of drinking more water.
Ask Yourself The 5 “W” Questions
When getting specific in your goal-setting, ask yourself some questions about your goal. This will help pinpoint your intention and narrow down the specifics of your goal. A simple method is to answer these five “W” questions to gather basic information:
- Who will this goal involve?
- What exactly do I want to accomplish?
- When do I want to accomplish this goal?
- Where will you achieve this goal?
- Why is this goal important to me?
Answering these five questions will help you develop clarity and motivation toward your goal. After you have answered these five information-gathering questions, your goal will look something like this:
“I will drink eight glasses of water every day. I will drink two glasses of water in the morning before breakfast, two glasses with lunch, two glasses after the gym, and two glasses before bed. I want to do this to become healthier.”
This goal is specific and direct. It specifically states what your expectations are for yourself and enables accountability.
Another Example Of Creating A Specific Goal
Let’s look at another example of creating a specific goal. Another common health goal that people often say is “I want to exercise more.” This goal lacks specific details and can be a setup for failure. Answering the five “W” questions will provide you with the specifics of meaningful, constructive goals that will increase your achievement rate. After you ask the questions, the goal that you drafted will look like this:
“I will exercise at the gym for forty-five minutes every weekday morning before I go to work.”
This statement is a detailed plan for what, where, how, and when you intend to follow through with your plan. The details will ensure a higher success rate than the vague statement of wanting to exercise more.
What goals are you working on right now? Can you think of ways to answer the five “W” questions to make your goals specific?