SMART Goals
Use the SMART Goal format when goal setting to ensure you set yourself up for success! When you make your goals SMART, you think through what will help you successfully achieve your goal. SMART stands for specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and time bound.
Specific
Your goal needs to be as specific as possible. For example, a simple goal of “Get Healthy” can be viewed in many different ways. But a goal of “I want to improve my health by improving my eating habits by eating more servings of fruit and vegetables each day” is specific.
Measurable
Your goal needs to be measurable. Suppose your goal is to improve your health by improving your eating habits by eating more fruit and vegetables each day. In that case, your progress can be measured by assigning specific quantities of fruits and vegetables per day. Adding a tangible measurement to your goal helps you to recognize whether or not you accomplished your goal.
Actionable
Actionable means that your goal is appropriate and possible for you to accomplish. It challenges you in a good way. Think of how you will ensure you meet your goal – what action steps are necessary? For example, if you are trying to improve your fruit and vegetable intake, preparing a grocery list before shopping will be helpful to keep you on track!
Relevant
Your goal needs to be relevant to your overall objective of improving your health. Make sure that your short-term goals align with your long-term goals and the objectives you want to achieve.
Time-Bound
Tie your goal to an achievable timeline. By developing an achievable timeline, you can track your progress while also keeping yourself motivated. When reaching your goal deadline, you can reevaluate your goal to determine how you will change to continue to progress.
