Hi there! I wanted to share a SMART goals worksheet PDF with you
in case some of you, like me, really get into making goals at this time of year. Of course, any time is a great time to set a smart goal! Scroll to the end for the PDF download!
ote
You probably know what a SMART goal is…
but just in case, I’ll explain! It’s a goal that’s…
Specific – Exactly what do you want to achieve?
Measurable – Exactly how will you know that you’ve achieved it?
Attainable – Is it realistic? What obstacles will you face, and how will you overcome them? (I think it really helps to anticipate challenges and brainstorm solutions in advance.)
Relevant – Why does it matter to you?
Time-Bound – (or, Timely) – What’s the deadline or deadlines for this goal?
Here’s a personal example of a SMART goal.
If I made a New Year’s resolution to “write more,” that wouldn’t be specific or measurable. If I resolved to “become a more successful author than Colleen Hoover by the end of the year,” well, that would be time-bound, but it wouldn’t be attainable. I’d need more than a year for that! These are examples of goals with failure baked right in.
My big goal for the coming year is:
Work on my fiction from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., uninterrupted, Monday through Saturday.
Is this specific? Very.
Measurable? Yes—I measure it with a clock.
Attainable? Well, it’s a challenge, since on most days, I also have several hours of freelance book editing work through Lucky Author. I also blog and create content for social media accounts, but the writing comes before that! Yes, I think I can do it. One obstacle is my own tendency to get distracted, and I’m going to avoid the internet and social media before 1 p.m. I’m even going to turn off the WiFi before my daily writing session, unless I’m doing writing sprints with other people on Zoom.
Is it relevant to me? Absolutely…my dream is to become a very successful author.
Is it time-bound? Yes. The deadline is every Monday through Saturday—or the last day of the coming year, depending how you look at it.
In case you’re looking for a SMART goal generator, here are more examples of SMART goals!
Examples of SMART Goals for Relationships
•Go on 52 dates in this calendar year. (Check out my post on 52 cheap date ideas!)
•Take a communication class for couples together by (date here.)
•Go 30 days in a row without criticizing the other person…or just 7 days in a row, to start with!
Examples of SMART Goals for Anxiety Reduction
•Try 20 guided meditation videos by (specific date.)
•Write in my journal 10 times by (specific date.) (You might want to check out my three gratitude journal prompts.)
•Take 50 walks by (specific date.)
Examples of SMART Goals for Weight Loss
•Take 50 walks by (specific date.)
•Fit comfortably into my favorite dress by (specific event.)
•Reach the weight of XXX pounds by (specific date.)
•Track everything I eat and drink for 14 days in a row.
Personally, I’ve noticed that if I set a goal weight by a certain date, but I fall behind pace, I quit trying. So next year, I’m focusing on habits: exercise, and tracking my eating.
Why is it important to set realistic goals?
If you’re wondering this, I understand. I’m the kind of person who swings for the fences, herself! But it’s easy to give up on unrealistic goals…and it’s easy to underestimate the power of small, attainable goals, and especially of slow, consistent, steady progress. I really recommend the book Atomic Habits, which did such a good job of illustrating this.
Click the link below to download the smart goal worksheet!
This worksheet is hosted on my own trusted website. It doesn’t download automatically, because I know that makes some people nervous (with good reason!) So here’s what you do after clicking:
On a Mac, go up to File > Export as PDF to download.
On a PC, I believe you go to the Printer dropdown menu and select “Save as PDF.”
By the way, if you’re looking for motivation or a fresh start…
You might also like to check out my journal filled with easy and fun creative exercises, The Book of Dreams Come True. It’s designed for self-discovery, goals, and manifestation. So many people have written to me about how much this journal has lifted their mood and given them new inspiration!
Do you have any SMART goals for this year?
Or any tips for realistic goal-setting…or goal-achieving? please share in the comments! Thanks so much for reading, and I hope all you succeed in all your goals—big and small!
I don’t really set New Year’s resolutions, but a goal of mine would be to join more community activities to widen my circle of new friends in our new hometown. I will do this by joining more Meetup outings online.
I think that’s such a good idea, Naomi! I use Meetup a lot and I’ve met some great new people. 🙂 Happy almost New Year!
These are great ideas. Thank you!
d
🙂 Thank you! Happy almost New Year!
These are wonderful. I am a huge SMART goal person. I usually have my 2024 goals and word for the year picked out by now, but the tail end of the year was so crazy I’ve barely started thinking about it. Thanks for the inspiration jump start.
Love this graphic! You are so inspiring! My 2024 professional goal is an author rebrand to update and coordinate the look of my website, newsletter, and social media. I plan to complete the draft of my WIP – my second sweet contemporary Christmas romance – by end of 1Q24 and edit 2Q24. We’ll see how this all goes! But, nothing ventured, nothing gained!