What is a SMART GOAL?
Setting goals is an important first step in taking action and control of your health, wellness and financial resilience. There are 5 steps to setting SMART goals:
- S – is your goal Specific?
- M – is your goal Measurable?
- A – is your goal Achievable?
- R – is your goal Relevant?
- T – is your goal Timely?
Now, lets get even SMART – ER:
- E – is for Evaluating your goal
- R – is for Reviewing (and Rewarding) your goal
Create a SMARTER goal
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you create a SMARTER goal:
- What would I like to change? (be specific)
- What will I do to make it happen?
- How often will I have to do it?
- What needs to happen to allow me to do this?
- Who can help me do this?
- What barriers might prevent me from doing this (reaching my goal)?
- How will I know my goal has been achieved?
- When do I expect to reach my goal (be specific with a timeline)?
Here is a SMARTER Goals template that you can use to get started
| S - Specific | What do I want to accomplish? (be specific) |
| M - Measurable | How will I know when I have accomplished my goal? |
| A – Action |
What steps will I take to achieve my goal? (List steps 1 through 3 that I will take) |
| R - Realistic |
Ask yourself: Can I actually achieve this goal? What will I need to actually achieve this goal? |
| T - Time | What is my timeline/deadline to achieve my goal? |
| E - Evaluate |
How is the process going so far? What adjustments will I need to make to achieve my goal? |
| R – Review/Reward |
Does this goal align with my values - Where I want to go, what I want to do, and what I want to be? How will I reward myself once I achieve my goal? |
You can use this template again and again to set SMARTER goals (and achieve them)! When implemented, this process has great potential to help you “work SMARTER, not harder” and support you with your health, wellness and financial goals. Give it a try!