I’m sure we’re all familiar with goal setting and how we should ensure that those goals are S.M.A.R.T. If you are not familiar with this term, here is an explanation!!
SMART goals are a way for us to set and achieve goals effectively. The SMART acronym stands for:
1. **Specific**: Your goal should be clear and precise. It should answer the questions of “What,” “Who,” “Where,” and “Why.” Avoid vague or overly broad goals. Specificity helps you focus your efforts and provides a clear direction.
An example of a non-specific goal: “I want to get in better shape.”
An example of a specific goal is “I want to lose 10 pounds by running three times a week and reducing my daily calorie intake by 500 calories.”
2. **Measurable**: You should be able to track your progress and determine when you have achieved your goal. Include specific criteria or metrics that quantify your progress.
An example of a non-measurable goal is “I want to be more productive at work.”
An example of a measurable goal is “I want to increase my daily productivity by completing at least five tasks from my to-do list each day.”
3. **Achievable**: Given your current resources and constraints, your goal should be realistic and attainable. While it’s good to challenge yourself, setting unattainable goals can lead to frustration and failure.
Example of an unachievable goal: “I want to become a professional athlete within a year, even though I’ve never played the sport before.”
An example of an achievable goal is “I want to complete a 5K race in six months by following a training plan and gradually building my running skills.”
4. **Relevant**: Your goal should align with your broader objectives and be relevant to your life or work. Ensure that it matters to you and supports your overall mission.
Example of an irrelevant goal: “I want to learn to play the guitar, even though I have no interest in music.”
An example of a relevant goal is “I want to improve my public speaking skills because it will help me advance in my career and communicate more effectively.”
5. **Time-bound**: Set a specific timeframe or deadline for achieving your goal. This adds urgency and helps you stay on track. Without a deadline, there’s less motivation to work consistently toward your goal.
Example of a goal without a timeframe: “I want to read more books.”
Example of a time-bound goal: “I want to read 20 books by the end of this year, averaging about 1.5 books per month.”
However, I would like to add another letter to this acronym, particularly when it comes to setting goals related to health and fitness:
6. **Sustainable**: Not only should your goal be Achievable, but it should also be a goal you can reasonably maintain, even after achieving it.
An example of a sustainable goal: “I want to eat less junk food. Instead of cutting myself off cold turkey, I will pick one day a week where I won’t eat any junk food, or eat one less junk food item a day.”
An example of an unsustainable goal: “I want to lose 20 pounds by incorporating going to the gym. Even though I’ve never gone to a gym, I will go 7 days a week for 1.5 hours.”
Consider this infographic as an example of creating goals that are realistically sustainable:
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For the longest time, I wanted to have defined abs and a slim build (essentially what I looked like back when I was younger and before I had my daughter). I had a general idea of what it took to get there and while I was deployed I dare say I got pretty close (I was under 200lbs, and was what I considered “skinny”)! However, the steps I took to get there, and considering what I would need to do in order to keep that build (essentially live like I was deployed all the time) would NOT have been sustainable given life back home is different from deployed life, and if I’m being honest with myself, I didn’t enjoy it all that much! I had to REALLY consider if it was sustainable or even desirable for me to do what was needed to maintain that goal I desired (which, according to the infographic would’ve been the first “healthy” image on the bottom), or would I be okay doing something that fit my lifestyle back home better (which is more between the top two “healthy” images on the top row)?
This isn’t to say that the goals on the bottom are not sustainable or attainable; they are! I share this because I believe people make those goals without considering how much it would take to sustain them. This can lead to the yo-yo/back and forth that happens often on various health and fitness journeys. I share this as a guide for you for future goal setting; hopefully it will provide greater insight and give you a good and realistic path to achieving your goals!
Not Broken...Becoming 
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