Since we’ve just talked about values and why they matter (link at the bottom of the page), it’s now time to turn our attention to our vision and get SMART about our goals.
With the new year many people set resolutions, goals, or intentions. But did you know that it’s so common for people to give up on their goals quickly that we have an entire day dubbed, “quitters day.” The day by which many Americans have self-reportedly given up on their new year’s resolutions. was was recognized on January 10th, last Friday.
But of course that’s not you, Right?
If it is, there’s no shame! Goal setting and sticking with new rhytms and routines can be challanging! One of the problems is we try to change too much all at once. But the other problem is that we do not have SMART goals.
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, & Time-Bound. I’ll break each of these down below.
If you’ve already set your goals for 2025, let this be an encouragement to you. If you haven’t set any goals yet, why not set them now? I hope that by the end of this post you’ll feel encouraged, either to continue pressing in with your current goals, or to set one or two using this method.
So, are you ready to get SMART about your goals?
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-Bound
Making goals based on this framework is much more manageable than a vague “resolution” to “be more healthy this year.” While being healthy is an admirable objective, how do you know you’ve been more healthy when you look at the year? What markers are you tracking? What evidence can you point to in order to show your progress?
See the difference between “be more healthy this year” and “walk four times each week and drink 64oz of water daily.” Those two specific actions will help you reach a goal of being more healthy. Because they are both specific and measurable, you will know every week whether you’re making progress of moving towards your overall health goals, or not.
The next aspect a SMART goal must be is Achievable. If your goal is focused on good health, and you decide that in 2025 you will work out every day for an hour even though for the past six months you have not done so much as go for a daily walk… how achievable do you think that will be?
Perhaps it would be better to begin working out for thirty minutes, three times a week. Once you have made that a habit, you could incrementally increase the time of your workout and the number of times you hit the gym each week. Making sure the goal is something you can actually achieve is important to prevent discouragement and giving up.
Relevant – maybe you already work out the proper amount for you and drink all the water you need from your fancy Stanley, so these aren’t what you need to focus on. Your goals should make sense to you, they are, after all, your goals. Maybe you need more discipline in your bible reading, or prayer life, or want to spend more quality time with your friends.
Make sure you’re choosing goals that make sense to you and where you’re at in life. A good place to start is to think about your daily routine, are there parts of your routine that you are unsatisfied with? Or, is there a skill or thing you’d like to learn or grow in? These can be good ares to explore to choose a goal that is right for you.
Finally, Time-Bound. Having a time-bound goal means that the goal has a specific deadline or checkpoint by which you can see whether you’ve completed the goal or made progress on it. So choose a length of time to commit to working towards your spefic goals. When that time is up, then you can evaluate your progress and set another goal. 90 days is often a great length of time for goal setting.
Setting a resolution for the year can trigger your inner procrastinator, and an “I’ll do it later mindset.” But a deadline in 90 days, that is something that is not too far away. But if 90 days does feel far away, set 30 day or 60 day goals. No matter which length of time you choose, it’s crucial to breakdown your goal and set checkpoints throughout the time to make sure you’re staying on track.
And remember, most goals are more about the small steps you take daily than the “big work” you do all at once in a sprint. Most goals are a marathon, so pace yourselce and set SMART goals.
SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Following these simple guidelines when planning out your goals will be a big help as you navigate your busy semester and strive towards change in the new year! It’s not too hard to get SMART about your goals.
Above all else, as believers in Jesus, it’s so important to sit with the Lord and ask Him for direction in this space. Setting a plethora of goals without consulting the Lord may not bear the fruit you hope it will. As you think through areas you want to set goals in, I encourage you to ask the Lord where He’d like you to grow this year. You may be surprised what he points out.
One of my goals I’ve had for many years is to read two books every month (specific), for a total of 24 books in the year, and I must be done by December 31st (time-based). I break this down by making it a habit to read 5 out of 7 days every week (measurable), for at least 30 minutes a day (achievable). This goal is relevant to me because one of my values is being a life-long learner. This system has empowered me to accomplish this goal for many years, and in fact, has helped me read more than 24 books each year!
Let me know your thoughts, how do you plan out your goals? What are some of your 2025 goals? How do you plan to get SMART about your goals?
Helpful links:
Sarah Louise 