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SMART Goals: How Do People Set Goals for Themselves?
When it comes to long-term goal setting, there’s no one right way to reach your goal. Every goal is a unique and personal journey, and your approach will certainly vary. But having a process to plan your goals, track progress and see them through to completion is an important step towards success.
What Are the Best Practices for Goal Setting?
Best practices for goal setting allow you to break your goals into smaller, actionable steps. So, where should you begin? The SMART goal technique is a great starting point!
By using a goal-setting system like SMART, you can better understand your goals and objectives and what it will take to achieve them. The SMART goal methodology is a tried-and-true standard for setting big (but achievable) goals that can help make your dreams a reality.
Watch this short video on SMART goals. Then, keep reading to learn how to make your own SMART goals and see a few examples to get you started!

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VO: Ready to achieve your dreams? Try using SMART goals with these helpful tips from American Family Insurance!
We keep the “SMART” on screen, as an illustrated person slides into frame, looking at the “SMART”, appearing somewhat concerned, but smiles towards the end of the next sentence.
VO: Setting goals can sound daunting, but when you use SMART Goal setting, you can easily plan out how to make your dream a reality.
The “SMART” title now takes over, and spreads out, breaking into its acronym’s words.
VO: SMART means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Sensitive, and can be applied to small or big life goals.
The “SMART” tightens up again into a single word, and shifts to the top of the frame, in small letters, where it will remain for the rest of the video. This will help us know which section we’re in, and keep the viewer grounded, like chapters of a book.
We see our character again under the title, standing in a bedroom – show a bed between two red nightstands.
VO: Let’s say you want to update your bedroom’s look.
The word “Specific” now appears in the middle of the screen. The “S” in “SMART” also changes color to emphasize where we are in the timeline.
VO: The first step is to be Specific. The more specific your goal is, the more likely you are to get it done.
“Specific” reduces in size and shifts up to rest under “SMART”.
We focus on our nightstands. As we elaborate on how we’re refinishing them, we add an illustration a paintbrush with AmFam blue color at its tip.
VO: Instead of “I want to update my bedroom.” be specific and say “I want to paint my two nightstands blue.” Now you know exactly what you need to do.
The word “Specific” fades out, and the word “Measurable” is in center frame. The color highlight in “SMART” now shifts to “M”.
VO: Next, your goal should be measurable.
On screen next to the first paint brush appear a sanding sponge, primer can, and a second paintbrush.
VO: Break down your goal into smaller tasks and take on one task at a time. It’s a great way to stay on track.
One by one, the sponge, can, first paintbrush and second paintbrush get bigger.
VO: To refinish your nightstands, you'll want to sand, prime, and apply a first and second coat of paint, one step at a time.
Show the two finished nightstands – now gleaming and AmFam blue in color.
VO: By breaking big tasks down into smaller ones, you’ll achieve your big goals in no time!
“Achievable” is now in center screen, as “Measurable” fades away and the letter “A” in “SMART” is highlighted.
VO: Then, make sure your goals are Achievable.
We go back to our sanding sponge, primer can, and paintbrush. We add an blue paint can, a painter’s tarp and painter’s gloves.
VO: You want to be sure your goals are realistic. For example, do you have the tools, time and resources you need to achieve your goals?
A money counter pops next to the tools, counting up as we highlight each tool. When its done counting, it turns into a stack of bills.
VO: Let’s say refinishing your nightstands will cost $200 in supplies. Make sure that’s realistic for your budget before you start working on your goal.
“Relevant” is now in center screen, as “Achievable” fades away and the letter “R” in “SMART” is highlighted.
VO: Your goal should also be Relevant to you. Ask yourself, “Does this goal help me get closer to my dream?”
“Relevant” shifts to the top of the screen. A to-do list flies in from the bottom, showing items of renovation around the house. Nightstands are at the top. Then, starting an herb garden, upgrading the living room TV and learning how to knit appear on the list.
VO: If your dream is to update your bedroom, then refinishing those nightstands is a relevant goal! In contrast, working on your kitchen herb garden or taking up other projects might not be so relevant to your dream of a more relaxing bedroom.
“Time-Sensitive” is now in center screen, as “Relevant” fades away and the letter “T” in “SMART” is highlighted.
VO: And lastly, you’ll want your goal to be Time-Sensitive.
“Time-Sensitive” shifts to the top of the screen as our character returns, with a monthly calendar next to her. On the calendar, we mark a date towards the end of the month with our finished nightstand.
VO: Deadlines can be stressful, but if you plan small deadlines in advance instead of one big deadline, you’ll see they’re not that scary.
We add more markers on different dates - our sponge, the primer can, the paintbrush, to show that each task can be done on a different day.
VO: For example, you can plan on priming your nightstands one day and painting them blue on another day. When you assign each task to a certain day or timeframe, your final due date will become clearer.
“Time-Sensitive” fades out. We now see our character with her finished nightstands, painted indigo. The “SMART” increases in size to emphasize the name of the program.
VO: And that’s it! Remember, no matter what your goals are, you can use SMART Goal setting to clarify your purpose, focus your efforts and get it done!
We end on the Am Fam logo and the URL.
VO: American Family Insurance is here to support you and your dreams. Learn more about how we can help inspire, protect and restore your dreams at AmFam.com.
What Does the SMART Goals Acronym Mean?
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-sensitive. It's a mnemonic device, or memory strategy, designed to help you remember the steps and clarify your purpose, focus your efforts and be more productive, as you embark on setting your goals.
Ready to get started? Let's dive deeper a little deeper into each letter in the SMART goals acronym.
How to Write a SMART Goal
When it comes down to it, SMART goal setting is all about asking yourself the right questions — some that you may have not considered! Although it may feel a bit overwhelming at first, you’ll likely learn a lot about yourself and your motivations along the way. Be sure to write your answers down as you go.
Specific
The more specific your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them. Instead of generating a vague goal, try digging into the details.
To get started, ask yourself:
- What, exactly, do I want to accomplish?
- Why do I want to achieve this goal?
- By what date do I want to achieve my goal?
Measurable
The next step is ensuring you’re actually setting measurable goals — it’s the best way to stay on track. Measure progress by assigning yourself monthly, weekly or even daily tasks to push your dream forward.
If your goal is to save $1,000 over the next six months, break that number down into smaller amounts that you can easily stash away every week.
Want to get in better shape? Set a goal to hit the gym three times a week and cross off each day you go on a calendar so you can track your progress. You’ve got this!
Achievable
The last thing you want to do is set goals for yourself that just aren’t realistic. Instead, set yourself up for success by working towards something you’ve got the skills and tools to achieve. That’s not to say your goals shouldn’t challenge you — they certainly should — they just shouldn’t be so lofty that you’ll never get there.
For example, if your goal is to make a career change, consider having coffee with contacts who work in your desired industry. Or take some classes and gain a bit of educational experience versus simply applying for positions you’re not qualified for — and unrealistically expecting to land a job right away.
Relevant
Relevant goals must actually matter to you. In other words, question your “why.” Why are you doing this? Why is this the right goal to focus on? What does it accomplish for you in the grand scheme of things? Will it move you in the right direction?
For example, if you’re already stretching yourself by saving for a house, perhaps now is not the best time to set a savings goal for a five-country European adventure. Prioritize and make sure all the things you’re working towards fit together neatly.
Time-sensitive
Every SMART goal needs a time frame to ensure your dream doesn't end up on your list of "somedays." That's why the last part of the SMART goal-setting system focuses on taking a look at your plan and breaking it down into daily activities you’ll need to accomplish to move the needle forward.
Once you outline the steps of your plan, you can determine how long each one should take and, ultimately, plot out a “due date” for your overall goal.
For example, if your dream is to run a marathon, but you’ve never run a mile in your life, you’ll want to do some research and make a plan to train for a 5k, 10k, and half-marathon before attempting the big finale!
Remember, anything worth pursuing takes time, and there’s no shame in that. Just ask yourself, "What can I do today? What can I do six months from now? A year from now?" Setting timely goals will get you there.
What Are SMART Goals Examples?
We’ve covered what SMART goals are and how to write them, but if you still have questions, you’re not alone. These examples can help you better understand how to set SMART goals that can help you realize your dreams:
SMART Goal Example No. 1: Find a new job.
- Specific: I'm going to pursue my dream of [insert job title].
- Measurable: I will submit one resume every week.
- Achievable: I will apply for positions with a higher salary that also align with my long-term career goals.
- Relevant: I’m working toward saving for a house. A new job with a higher salary will help me save for a down payment faster while working toward my career goals.
- Time-sensitive: I’ll start applying for jobs [insert specific start date], with the goal of landing my dream job by [insert specific end date].
SMART Goal Example No. 2: Become an entrepreneur.
- Specific: I'm going to start a [insert type] business.
- Measurable: I will work on launching my business for one hour every day, with a goal to make my first sale within four weeks.
- Achievable: I will choose an online storefront platform that is easy to use and that will allow me to launch my business quickly.
- Relevant: I want to have more flexibility in my work life, be my own boss and have more control over what I earn.
- Time-sensitive: I will begin on [insert specific start date] and make my first sale within four weeks.
Things to Consider When Setting SMART Goals
When you use the SMART criteria to set your goals, it's important to remember a few additional things.
Acknowledge your awesomeness
Before you do anything, think about all the great things you’ve already done. Your list of achievements is probably longer than you think! And you deserve some self-kudos for that.
Try and try again
Next step: Keep trying. Remember, it’s okay if you don’t get it 100% right the first few times. Use what you’ve learned and keep going — you can’t fail if you keep trying.
Celebrate small victories
Small wins are huge motivators. Go ahead and treat yourself every time you reach another goal or milestone along the way. High fives, fist bumps, parties, chocolate — celebrate in a way that inspires you. Just make sure to take time to acknowledge your milestones.
Seek support
Remember, nobody expects you to do it all on your own. Build up a good support team to keep you focused and pushing through challenges. And don’t be afraid to reach out to a friend when you run into roadblocks. Even the most successful people need help sometimes!
Want more tips and motivation? Our collection of self-improvement tools and resources can help support and guide you and your family along any dream pursuit.
Related Topics: Career , Passions , Personal Development