"The tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach."

Goals are a powerful driving force, but without a clear and systematic approach to setting them, we may find it difficult to achieve them. SMART Goals provides a proven framework that makes goal setting clearer and more attainable.

Learn how to write SMART goals with clear steps and examples. Discover how to make your goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound for better success.

What Are SMART Goals?

SMART Goals is a goal-setting framework that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. This method ensures that goals are clear, focused, and achievable.

• S - specific

• M - measurable

• A - achievable

• R - relevant

• T - time-bound

Each step is essential for overall success. I'll explain them specifically in the following with some tips and examples of SMART Goals to help you understand them better.

How to Write SMART Goals

S - specific

This simply means that a goal has to be clear and well-defined for more effective planning. Most of the time, one’s failure of reaching a goal can be largely attributed to the ambiguity of his/her objective. The more vague the goal is, the less clear our minds will be, and the less likely we will be goal-driven. Therefore, start by narrowing down an ambiguous statement and making it something more specific and that can be executed.

Example:

An ambiguous goal: “I want to be a social influencer.”

A specific goal: “I want to be a social influencer with a not-so-big size of the audience in the make-up field on Youtube.”

📌 Tips:

• Use adjectives and adverbs to describe and define your idea.

• Ask yourself the classic 4W questions: what, why, who, and where.

M - measurable

A smart goal also has to be measurable, which means that some metrics are set beforehand and can be used to evaluate whether the goal is met and progresses along the way.

Example:

“I want to be a social influencer with a not-so-big size of audience in the make-up field on Youtube.” Define the promising result “a not-so-big size of the audience” and make it more specific with a number, e.g. 20k subscribers.

📌 Tips:

• You can also have multiple layers to indicate the outcome: When your subscribers reach 20k, that would be an A result. B=80%, C=60%, etc.

• Replace KPIs with OKRs to objectively measure results and work towards the goal.

A = achievable

An unrealistic goal is set usually because of the blind optimism we have on the ability of our future self, according to some psychological studies. We also tend to experience an instant adrenaline rush when a goal we’ve set is ambitious because it seems exciting enough even just thinking about the time the goal is met and our beautiful future life after that. This is what makes setting an achievable goal not easy as being said.

📌 Tips:

• Apply a 30% discount to your expected results when setting a goal.

• Visualize the process of doing something instead of the outcomes.

• Do some research and take more inside and outside factors into account. For example, if you want to be a make-up YouTuber in the example, ask yourself at least those questions:

“Do I have enough time to do that?”

“Do I have enough make-up skills?”

“How will I learn video shooting and editing?”

“What is my special style compared with other competitors?”

“Will there be any costs?”

R = relevant

This metric suggests you consider your goal from a broader perspective. Does the goal align with your life purpose or other long-term pursuits? Will the accomplishment of it be a stepping stone for you to achieve bigger goals in the future? Is it the right time to do that now? What will I gain and sacrifice and is it worth doing? Does it match your skill set?

Example:

Before you are determined to be a make-up YouTuber, you may need to consider whether it suits your situation. If you happen to quit a job recently with some savings and are good at make-up techniques, and developing a side business on social media is a long-time dream of yours, you may find this goal is relevant to yourself from many different angles.

📌 Tip:

• Consider opinions from people you trust as well, because they can sometimes provide you with more objective thoughts.

T = time-bound

Time-bounding your goal is the last but not the least. Why?

Having a specific timeframe for your goal can increase your motivation. If there is no end date, most of us would be prone to procrastinate because we know something is still far away, which means the reward for it is also far away.

Having a time-based goal can also help you prioritize tasks because you have a deadline to focus on and always know what to do next. This can increase your efficiency and thus the possibility of reaching your goal.

Example:

Think about what you can do tomorrow, one month from now, and within a year. Sketch a roadmap with a clear timeline of what you do to become a make-up YouTuber with 20k fans. On the roadmap, there should be different stages, within which tasks are scheduled to be checked off one by one.

📌 Tips:

• Always time-bound your tasks, every little one. You can learn more about the Time Blocking method (the most popular time management skill used by Bill Gates)!

• Use a simple calendar and to-do list app to manage tasks and make schedules. Let TickTick help!

Why SMART Goals Matter

Optimizing Resource Allocation

The more specific the goal is, the more we will be able to notice the resources that help us get to it or things associated with it. This is because it has been brought to your attention and thus stimulates the “Reticular Activating System” (RAS) in our brain.This helps us better plan and allocate resources, thus improving work efficiency.

Enhancing Motivation and Engagement

Being able to see the milestones that indicate our progress along the way contributes to the final success. It also shapes our behavior and keeps us on track. Those stepping stones are also strong motivators that will keep us in good momentum.

Increasing Sense of Direction

Keeping a relevant goal involves our core values since we have to analyze our strengths and weaknesses to go with it, which helps guide our work direction and decision-making. We also need to ensure it’s relevant to our life purposes. Therefore, it can increase our self-understanding and help us achieve it.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing SMART Goals

To effectively implement the SMART Goals method, follow these steps using TickTick:

Step 1: Clarify Goals

First, clarify the goals you need to achieve and create a new list in TickTick for each main goal. This helps you distinguish between different goals and organize tasks for each one.

For example: "Lose 10KG," "Improve Spanish proficiency," etc.

Step 2: Set Specific Tasks (Specific)

Set specific tasks for your projects, ensuring that each task clearly describes the specific action to be completed.

For example, if your goal is "Lose 10KG," you can add specific tasks like "Exercise 4 times a week."

Step 3: Add Measurable Standards (Measurable)

To ensure your tasks are measurable, you need to set quantifiable indicators for each task to track progress.

In TickTick, you can use subtasks or set task completion percentages to track specific indicators.

For example, "Exercise 4 times a week" can be broken down into 4 more specific subtasks, such as "Swim for 1 hour," "Aerobic boxing for 1 hour," "Run 5KM," "Outdoor cycling for 1.5 hours."

Alternatively, you can use our progress bar to track completion. For example, "Exercise 4 times a week" requires "Exercise for more than 90 minutes each time," and you can set the completion percentage when you mark it as done.

Step 4: Ensure Tasks Are Achievable (Achievable)

After adding tasks, you need to assess whether they are achievable. If tasks are too large or complex, break them down into smaller, more manageable parts.

In TickTick, you can use the Subtask feature to break a large task into several small steps, ensuring each step is specific and achievable.

As we did in the previous step, breaking down "Exercise 4 times a week" into 4 more specific subtasks.

Step 5: Ensure Relevance (Relevant)

Ensure that each of your tasks is closely related to your long-term goals or core values.

Regularly review your TickTick lists and adjust or delete those lists or tasks that are no longer relevant.

For example, the purpose of "Lose 10KG" is to achieve a healthier body, and excessive dieting might be harmful to your current health status, so we need to adjust the "Control Diet" part of the plan.

Step 6: Set a Time Frame (Time-bound)

You also need to set a clear deadline for your goals and create a detailed schedule, including key milestones. TickTick allows you to add due dates and reminders, helping you plan well, maintain a sense of urgency for tasks, and ensure they are completed on time.

Step 7: Execute and Adjust

Finally, you need to start executing according to the plan to continually move closer to your ultimate goal. PS: If necessary, adjust your goals and strategies in a timely manner based on actual progress.

Final Words

Understanding the basics of SMART Goals and the science behind the criteria, it's the right time to take these tips and set a smart goal NOW!