What are SMART Goals?
SMART is a goal-setting framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. It turns vague intentions into clear targets you can actually hit.
How to Use
- Write your goal in one sentence.
- Make it Specific: who, what, where, when?
- Make it Measurable: how will you track progress?
- Check Achievable and Relevant, then set a Time-bound deadline.
How It Works
Vague goals like "get fit" or "learn coding" fail because the brain cannot plan against ambiguity. SMART forces the five dimensions that make a goal actionable: clarity, metric, realism, meaning, and urgency.
Why It Works for Productivity
SMART goals have been used in management since George Doran's 1981 paper because they work. Each letter removes a common failure mode: vague (Specific), untrackable (Measurable), unrealistic (Achievable), irrelevant (Relevant), and open-ended (Time-bound).
Tips
Write SMART goals for quarterly outcomes, then break them into weekly MITs. Review in Weekly Review. Avoid more than three SMART goals at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SMART too rigid for creative work?
No — Specific and Measurable can describe creative outcomes (e.g., "draft 3 chapters by Friday"). Rigid is the point.
How is SMART different from OKRs?
OKRs are for teams and quarters; SMART is for individuals and any timeframe. They complement each other.