SMART goals have become a go-to framework for goal-setting and you’re about to find out why! This article will deep dive into the historical evolution of the SMART goal method, the science behind why they work, and how you can craft more efficient SMART goals to challenge and inspire you.

This post is all about the history and evolution of SMART goals, why SMART goals work, a 5-step guide to walk you through how to set your SMART goals, and 3 additional tips on how to elevate your SMART goals.

Let’s decode the science behind SMART goals and transform your approach to goal setting.

The Ultimate Guide to SMART Goals (Plus Why They’re STILL Effective)

What are SMART Goals?

The concept of SMART goals was first introduced in 1981 by George T. Doran in his paper There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives.

SMART goals were originally intended to solve a key problem in corporate management: managers didn’t know what objectives were and how they should be written.

And because of its simplicity and practicality, SMART goal setting was groundbreaking. It quickly gained popularity in the corporate world and became the standard framework among managers and employees for setting objectives.

Over the years, you may have seen variations of the SMART acronym. Doran’s original acronym for SMART was:

Specific – target a specific area for improvement
Measurable – quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress.
Assignable – specify who will do it
Realistic – state what results can realistically be achieved given available resources
Time-related – specify when the results(s) can be achieved

This looks pretty similar to the SMART framework we see and use today.

The Evolution of SMART Goals

By now, SMART goals have spread beyond the business world. You might have seen it used by coaches, educators, or team leaders to set practical goals. You may have even used it yourself! Because of its reach beyond corporate management, the SMART acronym has undergone subtle adjustments since Doran’s time.

For example, “Assignable” has often been changed to “Achievable” or “Actionable”, and “Realistic” is sometimes changed to “Relevant”.

Some other variations of the SMART goal include SMARTER or SMAART. While the essence of Doran’s original SMART framework still holds strong, modern interpretations like these will usually emphasize flexibility, context, and personalization. This provides us, goal-setters, with a clear structure while combating the rigidness of the business-focused SMART framework. Outside of business, SMART goals have evolved to become more holistic, taking motivation, personal satisfaction, and self-development into account.

Why are SMART Goals Important?

The SMART goal framework has been around the block and for good reason! Here are 4 reasons why SMART goals are still effective and considered tried and true:

1. Increases Clarity

A key reason why SMART goals work so well is they require the goal-setter to be ‘specific’. According to Locke and Latham’s goal-setting theory, people are more productive and perform better when they are given clear and specific goals. The theory emphasizes that when there is a better sense of direction (i.e. focus), people are more likely to achieve success.

2. Enables Improved Outcomes

The ‘measurable’ aspect of SMART goals provides the goal-setter with a way to see progress. This is incredibly vital for maintaining momentum and achieving success. For example, Hattie and Timperly’s paper The Power of Feedback found that informative feedback had a high impact on cognitive and motor skill improvement. Informative feedback can be in the form of measuring or tracking your progress (like the number of books read or the number of miles run). This feedback can help determine whether you are on the right track and motivate you to stay the course or change gears.

3. Fosters Consistency

Setting ‘achievable’ and ‘realistic’ goals is vital for consistency. Locke and Latham’s goal-setting theory tells us that when goals are exciting and challenging, people are likely to stay engaged and focused. But the opposite is also true. As found by Höpfner and Keith’s research, when individuals fail a “high and specific goal” it can discourage them from taking on new challenges in the future and cause them to feel demotivated. The key is to Goldilocks it by setting goals that will challenge you but not set you up for failure.

4. Promotes Urgency

Finally, ‘time-related’ goals create a sense of urgency. Deadlines can act as powerful motivators to challenge procrastination and create bias for action. By imposing a time limit on when a goal needs to be accomplished, you are more likely to view that goal as urgent and a priority to your development.

A 5-Step Guide to Setting Your SMART Goals

For this guide, we’ll use a variation of Doran’s SMART framework and follow this acronym to focus on personal goal-setting: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Let’s walk through an example of setting a SMART goal.

Step 1: Define a Specific Goal

Start by clearly writing what you want to achieve. Details are your best friend here. The more specific you are, the higher the chance you have of achieving it.

Let’s say you want to set a goal to improve your fitness.

An example of a specific goal would be: “I want to be able to run a 5k race.”

Step 2: Make Your Goal Measurable

Next, identify how you will measure your progress. This needs to be a quantifiable metric like a percentage, number of days, time frame, etc. Adding a measurable indicator to your goal will allow you to see how much progress you’ve made and how much longer you have you go.

Adding a metric to the specific goal could look like this: “I aim to run a 5k race in under 30 minutes.”

Step 3: Make Sure the Goal is Achievable

Your goals should challenge you but be within the realm of possibility. If you are new to running, running a 5k is a lot more realistic than aiming to run a half marathon off the bat. Be aware of your abilities and build your goals up to maintain consistency and motivation.

As a new runner, running a 5k in under 30 minutes with proper training is an achievable goal.

Step 4: Check the Relevance of Your Goal

The goal you set for yourself should align with your overall personal and professional narrative. Setting a relevant goal that is in line with your long-term objectives will keep you motivated and strengthen your emotional commitment to achieving the goal.

So, if your long-term goal is to improve your fitness and personal health, this goal of running a 5k lines up well!

Step 5: Set a Time-bound Plan

Be sure to implement a deadline for your goal. Deadlines create urgency, help you prioritize, and stay on track.

After you’ve finished this guide, your final goal should look something like this: “I will run a 5k race in under 30 minutes within the next six months.”

3 Additional Tips for Even More Effective SMART Goals

1. Integrate Flexibility

Changes are a big part of life so this may mean that you will need to re-evaluate your goals as time goes on. Set aside time (i.e. weekly or monthly) to revisit your goals and adjust timelines, actionable items, and expectations as needed.

2. Establish Lead and Lag Metrics

Lagging metrics are your results – things like pounds lost, sales made, and followers gained. While leading metrics focus on the activities that will produce those results – like emails sent, miles run, calls made. Lagging metrics are usually out of your control while leading metrics are entirely about the actions you have and can take. Both are important for measuring success and should be clearly established within your goal and your plan.

3. Utilize Visualization

Incorporating visualization techniques can enhance your focus, motivation, and commitment. It can also help establish a strong emotional connection to your goal. By visualizing the outcome, you’ll increase your likelihood of taking action and remain committed to achieving your goals.

Concluding Remarks

This post concludes the history and evolution of SMART goals, why SMART goals are important, a 5-step guide to walk you through how to set your SMART goals, and 3 additional tips on how to elevate your SMART goals.

Setting a strong SMART goal is like setting off on a journey with a clear map. You know where you’re headed, what you need to do, and why you’re doing it!

Now, it’s over to you. If you have any other tips for setting SMART goals, questions, or comments, share them below!

Sources

Ariely, Dan. “Procrastination, Deadlines, and Performance: Self-Control by Precommitment.” Massachusetts Institute of Technology, https://erationality.media.mit.edu/papers/dan/eRational/Dynamic%20preferences/deadlines.pdf.

Höpfner, Jessica, and Keith, Nina. “Goal Missed, Self Hit: Goal-Setting, Goal-Failure, and Their Affective, Motivational, and Behavioral Consequences.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 12, 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8490751/.

Locke, Edwin A. “Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives.” Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, vol. 3, no. 2, 1968, pp. 157-189, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0030507368900044.

Matthews, Gail. “Goal Research Summary.” Dominican University of California, 2020, https://www.dominican.edu/sites/default/files/2020-02/gailmatthews-harvard-goals-researchsummary.pdf.

O’Hara, Ross E. “The Pros and Cons of Deadlines.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 2022, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/nudging-ahead/202206/the-pros-and-cons-of-deadlines.

“S.M.A.R.T. Way.” Management Review, Temple University, 2015, https://community.mis.temple.edu/mis0855002fall2015/files/2015/10/S.M.A.R.T-Way-Management-Review.pdf.

Wisniewski, Benedikt, Zierer, Klaus, Hattie, John. “The Power of Feedback Revisited: A Meta-Analysis of Educational Feedback Research.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 10, 2019, Frontiers, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03087/full.