5 Steps to Establish SMART Goals

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins.

Setting goals is indeed the first step. However, to achieve success, it's important to set SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. By following these 5 steps, students can clarify their ideas, use their resources and time productively, focus on their efforts, and increase their likelihood of accomplishing what they want in life.

To begin with, students should set goals that are specific and clear. This means being precise about what they want to achieve, who is involved, why the goal is important, and which limits or resources are involved. Specific goals make it easier to decide between what to accomplish and how. For instance, instead of setting a long-term goal of learning Algebra, a specific goal would be to score 90 or above on this semester's Algebra I test.

The next step is to make sure that the goals are measurable and meaningful. Students should be able to track their progress and determine precisely whether they have achieved their goal. The results should be tangible and visible, motivating them to work towards their goals. For example, scoring 90 or above on a test is a measurable and meaningful goal.

Goals should also be achievable, not too simple to achieve nor too difficult. It should be realistic, i.e., where they can foresee the results and only need a direction. By setting an achievable goal, students feel challenged and motivated to work towards it. For instance, based on past math tests, scoring 90 is achievable, but 100 has never been achieved yet.

Goals should be relevant and bring motivation and focus. Students should ask themselves how achieving the goal will benefit them and whether it's the right time to accomplish it. For example, scoring 90 or above in Algebra is relevant because it will improve their logic skills, which they may need if they want to become a detective someday.

Lastly, goals should be time-bound. Students should take into consideration by when they need to achieve the goal, what is the start-to-finish date. It is only with a timeline that goals become achievable. Example: this is time-bound because the semester test has a specific scheduled date.

“A goal without a timeline is just a dream.” – Robert Herjavec.

If Alex had set these 5 essential steps to SMART goals for students, it could have helped him focus better, monitor wisely, and achieve desired results.