Guide for Creating SMART Goals

Guide to help mentorship participants create SMART goals

Transition to Organic Partnership Program

Guide for Creating SMART Goals
Why create SMART goals?
Setting goals can be challenging, and SMART goals can be a helpful framework for making the
process a little easier. Meaningful goals that are broken into steps and are actually achievable
are challenging to create. SMART goals provides a framework that can greatly benefit successful
goal creation.
SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely,
which are all necessary attributes to set effective goals. Applying this framework allows you to
break down goals into actionable objectives. Here’s a few reasons for why SMART goals are
beneficial:
● Clarity and focus: SMART goals force you to define your goals with precision. This clarity
helps you understand exactly what you’re working towards and minimizes ambiguity.
● Measurability: SMART goals require you to establish clear criteria for measuring
progress and success. This helps you track your achievements and stay motivated.
● Achievability: By setting achievable goals, you set yourself up for success. SMART goals
help you set realistic and attainable targets, which increases your confidence and
motivation.
● Relevance: Goals should be relevant to your overall objectives and aspirations. SMART
goals help you assess the relevance of your goals, ensuring that they align with your
long-term vision.
● Time management: the “T” in SMART stands for timely, meaning that goals have a
specific deadline or timeframe. This helps you prioritize tasks and allocate resources
effectively.
● Communication and collaboration: SMART goals facilitate better communication within
teams or between individuals. Everyone understands what needs to be accomplished,
making collaboration, learning, and teaching smoother and more impactful.
Overall, the SMART goal setting framework provides a structured approach to turning abstract
ideas into concrete objectives. It encourages you to think critically about your goals, refine your
plans, and work systematically towards your desired outcomes.

How to Create SMART Goals
SMART goals are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely

First, write a brief description of your goal:

Next, make the goal specific: Who/what/when/where/how:
Who will this goal involve? What skills do I need for this? When and where will I need to be?
How will this goal be achieved, and how will I know when I achieve my goal?
Write three specific steps to achieve this goal:
1.
2.
3.

Then, make the goal measurable:
How will I measure progress towards my goal? How will I know what success looks like?
How will I measure my success and track my progress?
1.
2.
3.

And lastly, ensure the goal is attainable, relevant, and timely:
How does the goal align with my long-term vision? Is my goal realistic?

Why do I want to reach my goal?

When do I want to reach my goal? What is the time-frame for my goal?

PDF
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