Arguably one of the most common acronyms is S.M.A.R.T, which typically stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.
An updated version is known as S.M.A.R T.S goals. Looking at each letter, S.M.A.R.T.S goals principles are as follows:
S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Achievable
R - Realistic
T - Timely
S - Self-Determined
Helpful Hint Set S.M.A.R.T.S goals to maximize goal effectiveness: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely, and Self-Determined.
Though these concepts do not encompass all the goal-setting principles, it is a good start. Other principles include short- and long-term goals, written goals, goal commitment, identifying goal barriers, providing feedback, and individualizing goals.
S- Specific
Specific goals enhance performance significantly more than general goals or do-your-best goals. Goal specificity allows individuals to adequately and properly assess whether or not they are making progress toward achieving their goal. Telling an individual that their goal is to eat healthier is too general and does not provide useful information. A more-specific strategy is telling an individual to increase their vegetable intake from one serving to two servings per day.
Most of you might begin with a reasonable goal like "I want to lose weight".... but if you really stop to think about it, that goal is not quite specific enough. What amount of weight do you want to lose? When do you want to lose this by? The answers to this and other so-called "W-questions" make our goals more Specific. Who: Who is involved? That's easy! I…... What: What do I want to accomplish? I want to lose 5 lbs ... When: Establish a time frame.". in two months.. Which: Identify requirements and constraints.... "by eating right and exercising. Where: Identify a location.. BODYBYWADE Live Virtual online classes!!!! Why: Give specific reasons, purposes or benefits of accomplishing the goal. ".. so can be healthy, fit and energetic." I.. want to lose 5 Ibs ... in two months .. by eating right and exercising ...online with BODYBYWADE .. so I can be healthy, fit and energetic."Seems specific enough!
M- Measurable
However, the bigger advantage is the motivation that initial success will give you: Nothing will boost your confidence more than seeing your body change for the better in the mirror every day. OK so you have set a specific goal and have started making positive changes in your life toward achieving it. How do you know how well you are doing? Measuring your progress at frequent intervals is as important as setting the goal in the first place. This serves a two-fold purpose: firstly you know pretty quickly whether what you are doing is working so take corrective action to keep yourself on track.
However, the bigger advantage is the motivation that initial success will give you:
Nothing will boost your confidence more than seeing your body change for the better in the mirror every day.
A-Achievable
What if instead of setting a "5 lbs in two months" goal, you decided instead to shed "30 pounds in one month"???
Not only is this unrealistic and virtually unattainable, but you are already setting yourself up for failure from the very beginning.
Creating reasonable and achievable goals for yourself will propel you to success and keep that motivation factor alive as well. Think small, achievable targets and you'll be alright because it's the attaining of small goals that boosts your morale and helps you aim higher.
R-Realistic (But Challenging) Goals
Setting realistic goals is a key component of an effective goal-setting strategy. Goals that are too easy do not present a challenge and lead individuals to be complacent and exert less than maximum effort. Conversely, if goals are too difficult, individuals tend to lose motivation, become frustrated, and possibly give up when they consistently fall short of their goal.
For example you might set yourself the achievable goal of a 32 inch waist in 3 months. That is certainly attainable if you are only a few inches away from your target. But when it comes to the methods you plan to use to achieve this goal, you might start to become unrealistic.
I will run everyday for two hours", ....
I wIll not eat any sweets, candies, cakes or pastries for the next 3 months" or......
I will avoid all fried foods" are all examples of unrealistic methods that you have a slim chance of sticking to. Be realistic and ask yourself what are the chances that you will stick to this drastic change in behavior.
Do you have two hours to spare for running?
Every single day?
You won't eat cake? On your husband's/ wife's/ kid's / best-friend's birthday?
While some of these may be possible with extreme dedication, you are the ultimate judge about whether they are realistic - and sustainable
T-Timely Goals
All goals should have a specific timeframe in which they should be accomplished. Without a timeframe, individuals could always say they are still striving to meet their goal. Lack of a specific timeframe can undermine a person’s motivation. An important way to include the timeframe is to set short-term goals (e.g., daily or weekly) and long-term goals (e.g., monthly or yearly). Both short- and long-term goals are necessary to maximize performance and behavioral change Long-term goals provide direction and set the stage for what we are eventually trying to achieve. Short-term goals are important because they help individuals focus on small improvements and provide continuous feedback concerning progress toward the long-term goal. Breaking up a long-term goal into bite-sized, manageable short-term goals can make the seemingly impossible become possible. The feedback from short-term goals can also serve a motivational function and allow adjustment of goals either upward or downward, depending on the situation.
Finally, no goal makes much sense unless you attach a timeframe to it. This is the "...in two months.." part of the goal statement. By limiting the time you have a fixed timetable to work with and the sense of urgency that will spur you to keep on track.
In my opinion this is probably the most important attribute of a well-set goal because none of the others matter if you don't set a time-limit by which to accomplish your goal.
S-Self-Determined Goals
There is no doubt that goal setting works. There is much research that supports its effectiveness. Goal setting has been documented as a highly effective tool for assisting people in achieving results. However, goals, per se, are not effective by themselves. They are tools and they require that individual be committed to those goals. Without goal commitment, individuals are not likely to put forth the required effort and persistence to achieve their goals, especially if they are challenging. However, challenging but realistic goals are the most effective goals.
Self-Determined Goal Contents Theory (GCT): Compares the benefits of intrinsic goals to the negative outcomes of external goals in terms of psychological well-being. Key to this mini-theory is understanding what reasoning lies behind an individual's goals. Individuals who pursue goals as a way to satisfy their needs have intrinsic goals and over time experience need satisfaction while those who pursue goals in search of validation have external goals and do not experience need satisfaction.
Intrinsic Motivation
Behavior that is directed by personal (internal) satisfaction, such as personal enjoyment, as well as striving for self-determination and competence.
Reevaluate Goals
Goal setting is a starting place, not an ending place. There is often a lot of iteration, despite using all the principles of goal setting noted previously. Oftentimes, what was thought of as realistic and challenging goals (based on research and previous behavior/performance) were either too easy or too difficult. This is where setting short-term goals helps because these are markers of how well the individual is progressing toward their long-term goal.
Similarly, there are specific guidelines for exercise behaviors, but these are guidelines and individuals start out at different places and under different conditions. An obese person might only be able to exercise at a very low-intensity level and sustain that exercise for just a few minutes. So, even though the recommendation is for 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week, this might be far outside the capabilities of this individual.
I've had a lot of success with individuals who have applied the S.M.A.R.T.S goal strategy. Whether you want to build muscle, tone your tummy, lose a few pounds, or just want to move around and throw some punches, put the S.M.A.R.T.S goal strategy to work in our exciting, engaging online group fitness classes! No better time to start than NOW, right?
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