Regardless, if it is professional or personal we all struggle sometimes to achieve our goals. Many times our struggle is not because of a lack of effort, but rather how our goals have been structured. We need to see some Smart Goals Examples to understand how we can achieve our goals.
Smart Goals Example Question: What do you want to be when you grow up?
It’s a question we’ve heard since we were kids. But the reality is that many of us ask that very question throughout our entire lives. If you dream of having a meaningful career, which aligns with your true purpose and potential versus just having a job, this is your time to consider using a goal-setting technique called SMART goals.
Smart Goal Setting Worksheet For Students And Employees
I’m Kabir and I have come prepared today to share career advice from our experts here at GoLifeGoal with all of you.
Coming up in this article, we’ll share the true connection between goals and building a successful career. We’ll dive into what SMART goals are. And I’ve got real-world smart goals examples to share with you, too.
Dreaming and accomplishing go hand in hand. But they’re not synonymous.
The difference– SMART goals.
So be sure to stick around, because I’ve also got a common mistake to share with you that so many of us make. And it can sabotage our efforts to achieve our goals.
All right, let’s get started.
What are Smart Goals?
SMART goals is a term used to help narrow down all of those big ideas we have flowing around our brain into achievable actions. The acronym SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
The idea is that when you establish precise details and of course, give yourself a deadline, you create a clear plan, which will lead you to your ideal result. Think of it as turn-by-turn instructions on your navigation versus just searching a broad geographical map.
Specific goal setting for your career
Now, let’s break this framework down.
The S in SMART stands for Specific.
The first step to creating your plan is to be thoughtfully specific.
If you’re using SMART goals to advance your career, identify what you’d like to accomplish. You can include goals like, find a new job transition into a new field or receiving a promotion at your current company.
So let’s say you want to get promoted. Instead of this vague aim, focus and clarify your goal of getting a promotion by identifying the exact title or role that you desire, the steps you will take, and the full picture of what that dream looks like. Smart Goal Achiever Software.
Smart Goals Example of a specific goal to get promoted
Yes, paint that picture. For example, you wouldn’t say, I want to climb the ladder.
You would say, I love the company I work for. But I want to take on more leadership responsibilities.
I want to be promoted to manager of the customer success team by January of next year by taking on two new projects and discussing my plan with my boss during our next performance evaluation.
Example of a specific goal to get a new job
If you were wanting to find a new job, you would want to be as specific as possible here, too. For example, you wouldn’t say, hey, I want a new job. You would say, I want to find a new job as a sales associate within the next three months. Now, it’s worth mentioning here that for your own career ambitions, you are both the architect and the doer.
In other words, a SMART goal might include an entire team of people or multiple individuals.
In those instances, you would definitely want to identify all the other players in your statement.
Before we move on, head down to the comments, and let us know what are some ways that you’ve been able to set and accomplish your goals.
Measurable goal setting for your career
Next, you need to set measurable goals or milestones to track your goals’ progress. You can manage what you can measure.
For example, if your goal is to find a new job, you can set a goal of applying to three new jobs a week
over the next three months. Pursuing a salary increase is another perfect example of how a goal benefits from targeting measurable metrics.
Smart Examples of a measurable goals to earn a salary increase
For example, you would not say this. I want to make a lot of money, although, yes, trust me. I get it.
That may be true. There is a much better way to phrase this goal to obtain tangible wants. So you would say, in my annual reviews, I will ask for salary increases of 5%. Within the next three years, this will lead to my target salary of $65,000.
Achievable or attainable goal setting
OK, moving on, A is for Achievable or Attainable.
How many times have you been told to pursue your passions?
While it is noble to seek a profession that aligns with your interests, it’s critical to consider your own abilities and realistic potential.
Smart Examples of achievable goals to follow a passion
For example, it may be a dream of yours to play professional basketball.
We’ve all been there. But if you have not dedicated the time to practice and play,it’s unlikely you’re going to make it to the pros. But what if you’re truly passionate about the game, and you find so much enjoyment from the experience?
Well, that’s awesome, because you should know that there are other roles in the industry. Besides being a player, be realistic, and know how you can contribute. It may not be achievable to say, I want to be a pro basketball player.
Instead, you could say this. I want to work for a professional basketball team. And we can make this stronger by making the statement specific and measurable. To do this, you could say, I want to secure an entry-level role in public relations for a professional basketball team within one year of graduating with my communications degree. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
Being realistic about the opportunities that are currently available to you and setting reasonable
expectations is one way to demonstrate professional maturity. Instead of setting career goals based on pure passion, you’re now pursuing a career with purpose and meaning, which includes your interests but isn’t too narrow as to be impractical.
This naturally leads us to the next letter in our SMART goals.
Relevant goal setting for your career
R is for Relevant. When setting goals, the success of achieving them can largely depend on their relevance to your values or long-term objectives. You may be tempted to complete an easy, short-term goal.
But when creating a SMART Goals roadmap, it’s important to ask yourself, does this step really get me where I want to go? What other options do I have that might not seem so obvious but could be more fitting?
Smart Examples of a relevant goals for changing careers
For example, let’s say you are contemplating going back to school and getting a degree
to satisfy long-held ambition. Maybe you are thinking about going to law school or ultimately getting an MBA. If you’ve worked as a paralegal for a few years and you haven’t enjoyed the long hours or all that stress, you might want to think twice about continuing to pursue a career in law. In this situation, a law degree may seem relevant. But if you’re finding the work unappealing, then it may not be relevant to your long-term career goals.
So instead of saying, I want a profession with status, really think through what status means to you.
And who are you trying to please?
If you are considering a career pivot, start with exploring different options and then connecting with others who have gone down the paths that you’re currently considering.
An example would sound like this. Law and business are both prestigious industries. Incorporating a specific, measurable, and attainable information, you can clarify that goal and say, I will talk to three lawyers and three corporate leaders by this time next month. I will ask them questions like, what type of person does it take to be successful in your job? And what do you wish you knew before you entered your profession?
After you’ve taken the time to explore those prominent occupations, you now have the information to understand the relevance of your choices. Adjust your goals. Make them SMART. And ask yourself, does this step really get me to where I want to be in my future?
And yes, the future. It seems daunting. I know. But don’t worry. This is leading us to our fifth and final letter that is going to help make future goals all the more attainable.
Time-based or time-bound goal setting
T is for Time-based.
Every specific, measurable, attainable, and relevant goal must have a timeline. And that’s because if we don’t harness a sense of urgency, we often busy ourselves with daily tasks, which are distractions in disguise. I’m very guilty of this. I understand. So without target dates, we may never actually achieve the future that we want. It’s important to have a timeline so that you can keep track and hold yourself accountable by reaching the milestones that you’ve already set.
By now, you know the drill. Be explicit and realistic.
Smart Examples of time-based goals for a nursing student
For example, you wouldn’t set a SMART goal to become a registered nurse by the end of the year if you’ve just enrolled in a nursing program. Instead of saying, I will change jobs, you would say, within 30 days of completing my nursing program, I will work for the large medical group in my hometown. I’ll be making at least $45 an hour so that I can pay off my student loans in less than five years.
Doesn’t that sound great?
Now, that also may sound a little too specific. And you might want to include a bit more wiggle room to adjust for the inevitable uncertainties.
What many of us fear when we lay out such a specific goal, though, is not that there
are too many details. However, the real fear is that if we are explicit and we list all these things we want to achieve, we could fail.
The good news, though, is that if you see this fear as an obstacle, which can always be overcome, you can succeed. The first step in making any successful goal is to amplify confidence and the faith you have in yourself. And I get it. This is hard to do, especially when you’re already in a period of uncertainty or when you’ve been rejected. And who hasn’t?
Many of us repeat the fears of inadequacy over and over in our heads when we’re feeling low. So it’s important to remember that when you start to hear that voice say, you can’t, you can.
Smart Goals Final Explanation and Examples
SMART goals are an acronym for the following.
- S stands for Specific. Get specific on what you’d like to accomplish.
- M is for Measurable. Track the progress of your goals.
- A is for Achievable or Attainable. Consider your abilities to make goals realistic.
- R is for Relevant. Set relatable goals that will bring you closer to long-term success.
- T is for Time. Set a date to keep yourself on track and hold yourself accountable.
A clear path for career growth isn’t always obvious. But by making it specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound you can drive your career in the direction that you have always envisioned and manifest your potential destiny.
If you believe in yourself, others will, too.