SMART Goal Setting was a term coined by George T Doran in 1981 and provides criteria by which to guide the development of goals. Well considered and structured goals are more likely to be achieved. SMART Goals are those which are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Limited.

Specific: Your goal should be well defined, clear and not ambiguous. Use language that makes sense to you. To make your goal really specific, you should consider the 5 W's (Who, What, When, Where, Why): Who is involved? What do I want to accomplish? When do I want to achieve my goal by? Where is my goal to be is achieved? Why is this important?

Measurable: Your goal needs to have a clear method for measuring progress - this assists in determining if you're on track to achieve your goal. You might consider questions such as: how many/much? How do I know when I have reached my goal? What will be my indicators of progress? 

Achievable: Your goal needs to be achievable and attainable. Ideally, we want to set goals for ourselves that stretch us outside our comfort zone so we feel challenged, but not so difficult we're likely to fail. You might consider questions such as: do I have the resources and capabilities to achieve my goal (and what are they)? Have other's achieved this goal before?

Realistic: At some point in the process of planning your goal, you might need to stop and give yourself a reality check. Can your goal be achieved with the time and resources available to you? You might consider questions such as: is the goal realistic and within reach? Is the goal achievable given your available time and resources? Are you able to commit to achieving your goal?

Time Limited: A good goal should have a clear end point - ideally not too far in the future. If you have a long term goal, ideally break this down into some smaller, shorter term goals that you can work toward and demonstrate achievement. Your goal should have a clear start and finish date.

Download our helpful, simple to use SMART Goal Setting Worksheet.

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