What Does the SMART Acronym Stand For?

The acronym stands for:

S – Specific

When setting a goal, be specific about what you want to accomplish. Think about this as the
mission statement for your goal. This is not a detailed list, but it should include an answer to
the popular ‘w’ questions:

 Who – Consider who needs to be involved to achieve the goal (this is especially
important when you’re working on a group project).
 What – Think about exactly what you are trying to accomplish and do not be afraid to
be very detailed.
 When – You will get more specific about this question under the “time-bound” section
of defining SMART goals, but you should at least set a time frame.
 Where – This question may not always apply, especially if you are setting personal
goals, but if there’s a location or relevant event, identify it here.
 Which – Determine any related obstacles or requirements. This question can help
youur goal is realistic. (For example, if the goal is to open a baking business, but you’ve
never baked anything before, that might be an issue. As a result, you may refine the
specifics of the goal to be “Learn how to bake in order to open a baking business").
 Why – What is the reason for the goal? When it comes to using this method the answer
will likely be about professional advancement or career development.

 M – Measurable

What method will you use to determine if you meet the goal? This makes a goal more tangible
because it provides a way to measure progress. If your goal will take time, set some milestones
by considering specific tasks to accomplish.
A – Achievable

This focuses on how important a goal is to you and what you can do to make it attainable and
may require developing new skills and changing attitudes. The goal is meant to inspire
motivation, not discouragement. Think about how to accomplish the goal and if you have the
tools/skills needed. If you do not currently possess those tools/skills, consider what it would
take to attain them.

R – Relevant

Relevance refers to focusing on something that makes sense with broader professional or
personal goals.

T – Time-Bound

Anyone can set goals, but if it lacks realistic timing, chances are you are not going to succeed.
Give a target date for completion. Ask specific questions about the goal deadline and what can
be accomplished within that time period. If the goal will take three months to complete, it is
useful to define what should be achieved half-way through the process. Providing time
limitations also creates a sense of urgency.

The Easiest Way to Write SMART Goals

 When it comes to writing SMART goals, be prepared to ask yourself a lot of questions.

 The answers will help fine-tune your strategy, ensuring the goals are something that’s actually
attainable.

 While you should be as realistic as possible, it’s important to approach writing SMART goals
with a positive attitude. After all, this is something that you want to achieve.

Examples of SMART Goals

Here are two examples of initial goals we'll use to walk through this process:
 1. I want to complete a project
2. I want to improve my performance

This is a typical approach to creating goals, but both of these are very vague. With the current
wording, the goals probably aren’t going to be attainable. The statements lack specifics,
timelines, motivation, and a reality check.

Now, let’s use the SMART goals formula to clarify both and create new and improved goals.

Goal 1: I want to complete a project

 Specific: Many people are accessing our current site from their mobile devices. Since it’s not a
responsive site, it provides a poor experience for customers. I want to launch a mobile app for
my company website by the end of Q2, which requires involvement from software
development, design, and marketing.
 Measurable: Creating a mobile app for our company site will require a lot of resources. To make
it worthwhile, I’d like to have 50,000 installs of the site within six months of launch. I’d also
like to show a 5% conversion rate from customers using the mobile site.
 Achievable: The departments that will be involved have signed-off on creating a mobile app. I’ll
need to manage the project and set milestones to keep everyone motivated and on target.
 Relevant: Improving the customer experience on mobile devices is a core initiative for my
company this year.
 Time-Bound: In order to achieve 50,000 mobile app installs and a 5% conversion rate by the end
of the fiscal year, the app will need to be launched by Q2 with a robust marketing campaign that
should continue through the end of the year.

Goal 2: I want to improve my performance

 Specific: I received low marks on my ability to use PowerPoint at my last performance review.
Improving my skills requires that I learn how to use PowerPoint efficiently and practice using it by
creating various presentations. I’d like to be more proficient using PowerPoint in time for my next
review in six months.
 Measurable: By the time of my next review, I should be able to create presentations that
incorporate graphs, images, and other media in a couple of hours. I should also be able to
efficiently use and create templates in PowerPoint that my coworkers can also use.
 Achievable: Improving my PowerPoint skills is instrumental in moving forward in my career
and receiving a better performance review. I can set time aside every week to watch PowerPoint
tutorials and even enroll in an online class that can teach me new skills. I can also ask coworkers
and my manager for PowerPoint tips.
  Relevant: Working with PowerPoint is currently 25% of my job. As I move up in the company,
I’ll need to spend 50% of my time creating PowerPoint presentations. I enjoy my career and want
to continue to grow within this company.
 Time-Bound: In six months, I should be proficient in PowerPoint ensuring it only occupies 25%
of my workload instead of the nearly 40% of the time it occupies now.

Once you go through and write your goals according to each SMART characteristic, you can
then combine and consolidate all the work you have done into one SMART goal.

SMART goal: I want to complete a project

 Description: Improving the customer experience on mobile devices is a core initiative for my

company this year, so we are going to create a mobile app. By the end of the fiscal year, there
should be 50,000 installs of the mobile app we develop, and it should produce a 5% conversion
rate. We’ll build the mobile app in-house and launch it by the end of Q2 with an app-related
marketing campaign that will continue to the end of the year.
 Milestone: Mobile app launches end of Q2.
 Deadline: End of the fiscal year.

SMART goal: I want to improve my performance

 Description: To grow in my career, I need to improve my PowerPoint skills. By taking online

classes and reviewing tutorials, I’ll improve my PowerPoint skills so that it only requires 25% of
my work time.
 Milestone: Complete an online PowerPoint course in three months.
 Deadline: Next employee review in six months.

When you write SMART goals, you will discover that having clarity about what you want to
achieve can make all the difference between success and failure.