Setting SMART Goals – You Need to Know This Beforehand (PsyCap 7)

What is the best approach to setting SMART goals so that you actually reach them? This is a good question, but misses a crucial matter. More fundamental to goal achievement is your mindset. Goal frameworks are helpful and numerous, but two different people can use the same framework and have very different degrees of success.

To tackle this crucial aspect of goal achievement, I’ll take some more time to discuss the PsyCap dimension of hope. High hope individuals are very committed to their goals. The reason: they are confident in their abilities and know what steps to take in order to succeed. My aim in covering the SMART goal framework is to help enhance your personal resource of hope. The point is not to give you another checklist. Rather, by working with goal frameworks you can become more confident in your ability to succeed and even map out various pathways to success.

This is crucial because when things don’t go as initially planned, you won’t easily give up and can figure out another way to reach your goal. In this article I also touch on the limitations of setting SMART goals. Furthermore, I cover the FAST goal framework. FAST goals can be more effective for long-term success.

Setting SMART Goals: Definition

The SMART goal framework is one of the most popular, well-established approaches toward goal attainment. This framework goes all the way back to the 1980s! SMART goals help you to define your objectives specifically and make a realistic plan to achieve them, while effectively allocating your time and resources.

S = Specific

Goals should be clearly defined. What is it that you exactly want to accomplish? Narrow your goal down, so that you can more readily pinpoint what steps you need to take to reach your goal.

Example

“I want to become a computer programmer” is way to general. There are so many different programming languages. Do you want to change professions, or would you like to acquire some programming skills for a hobby? Such considerations make a big difference!

A better framed and more specific goal would be, “I want to learn JavaScript, CSS and Html so that I can do basic front-end design”.

M = Measurable

In this framework goals should also be quantifiable. If they cannot be measured, then it is hard to tell if you have achieved them or not. When goals are measurable you can also track your progress. This keeps you motivated.

Example

“I want to increase the market awareness of my product” is not measurable. What exactly is market awareness and how would you know if you are progressing?

A more measurable goal would be “I want to gain a 50% increase in potential customer inquiries regarding my product”

A = Achievable

The goal should be realistic and attainable within a given time. With that said, the goal should also be ambitious. This will help you to develop personally and professionally.

Example

Becoming a senior consultant after one year of experience is in most cases not very realistic.

A more achievable, but nevertheless ambitious goal may be to get promoted within your first year on the job.

R = Relevant

The goal should be important to you. It should align with your core values and identity. Furthermore, your goal should ideally be in sync with your more long-term, overarching goals. Does your goal seem worthwhile? Does this goal motivate you? In addition, the goal should be pertinent to the area you are working on.

Example

If your job is to design websites, you probably do not want to set a goal to improve the marketing mix. In this case, such a goal is not relevant. It is not something that you have time to take care of – there are other people for that!

A more relevant goal is to work on a new layout that increases user interactions.

T = Time-bound

When do you want to reach your goal? What is your time frame? Goals that are linked to specific timings are more likely to be accomplished. We all have been guilty of saying we will do something whenever we get to it. The funny thing is those things often never get done! Having a target date or a deadline will motivate you and help you to better manage your time. Timings should be ambitious but realistic.

Example

If you work in a very dynamic field where things are constantly changing, a yearly goal may not be appropriate. It could be better to set quarterly goals and revisit these regularly.

If you want to change careers, it is important to decide when this should happen. Otherwise, you will probably stay in the same job longer than you would like. A time-bound goal would be to begin the process of changing careers by January 2022. More specifically, by January 15th, 2022 you will begin to acquire new skills or apply for new jobs.

Seven Problems with Setting SMART Goals

Although the SMART goal framework can be quite helpful, there are several limitations I would like to discuss. By considering these potential pitfalls, you can make necessary adjustments to your goal attainment strategy. As a result, you will be better equipped to set goals so that success is the most likely outcome.

1. Not All Goals Can Be Specifically Defined

Let’s say you are responsible for developing an employer branding strategy and do not have much prior knowledge. Initially it may be difficult to specify what needs to be done. This task is rather broad and general. You may first have to acquire further knowledge or new skills before you can craft a winning strategy. While researching, it becomes clearer and clearer what the goals should be.

2. Setting SMART Goals Can Be A Pitfall if the Goal Can’t Be Accurately Measured

For example, I want to create a more positive work climate for my team. This goal is difficult to quantify as it is more abstract. You could perhaps do a survey, which is at best a strong indicator. You just know when the team is doing well. Maybe the team members are working better together, having more fun or are less sick. The input you get from each person can give you an overall impression. This is, however, not an absolute measure, like increasing sales by 25%.

3. Setting SMART Goals May Limit Your Potential

By using the SMART framework, you are more likely to set goals that you are sure to reach. This can, however, be limiting. Setting ambitious goals that we may not completely achieve helps us to develop more in the long-term. Growth takes place when we operate outside of our comfort zone. If we don’t quite reach our target, we should not feel disappointed, but proud that we dared to go beyond our limit. We should not consider such a result as failure, but rather as a success, because we gained more and went further than we though possible.

4. Lack Flexibility

The SMART framework calls for hard deadlines. In some cases, it may be better to work with flexible deadlines. If you often miss these hard timings, you may become demotivated, feel like a failure, and experience constant stress. In the long run this can be paralyzing and cause you to give up.

5. The Process of Setting SMART Goals Often Lacks Emotion

Some critics of the SMART framework argue that it is robotic and lacks human emotion. We may end up setting SMART goals for things that we are not motivated by or passionate about. This is a reason people often give up on SMART goals. If we set goals that energize us, goals that we really care about, we are more likely to succeed.

6. Are Often Short-Sighted

SMART goals often focus on short to mid-term achievement. If you are constantly focused on the trees you may lose sight of the forest. Just having SMART goals may cause one to lose sight of the big picture and miss out on setting long-term, visionary goals. Starting your own business may be an overarching goal that can be broken down into various SMART goals. The energizing factor, however, may not be the SMART goals themselves, but rather the vision of being your own boss.

7. Setting SMART Goals May Limit Creativity

Sometimes it is better not to have any goal. For example, if you just want to explore, innovate, or have fun with a new topic, setting a specific goal may be limiting. In such a situation it is better just to start and see what happens.

Beyond Setting SMART Goals – Get FAST.

I find the SMART goal framework beneficial. However, for long-term success it is necessary to stay flexible. It is important to adjust and revise goals when needed. If you are in an industry that is very dynamic or there is a major change in your environment, the goals that you set before may no longer be relevant. Another critique of SMART goals is that they are difficult to implement in other contexts such as the team or company level. This is due to their mostly individual focus.

A more flexible approach is the so-called FAST goal framework.

F = Frequent

Goals should be revisited and discussed frequently. In this way you remain focused and aware of your goal. Also, your goal or approach can be readily adjusted if necessary.

A = Ambitious

Goals should be ambitious. In modern technology companies such as Google employees are encouraged to set ambitious goals and are expected to achieve 60% to 70% of their key targets. This kind of approach helps to ensure that you are not limited to conservative goals that you will reach 100% of the time. By going beyond, you will truly be able to grow personally and professionally, innovate and discover new approaches.

S = Specific

Make goals specific with measures and milestones. This approach is also a bit more flexible as it allows for both quantitative and qualitative goals. What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) or key results?

T = Transparent

Goals should also be transparent. If you are on a team, you should know what the other team members’ goals are. This helps you to understand others’ actions, give better support or even help you to allocate your resources more effectively. For example, if you are in recruiting you can work together with the marketing team on employer branding topics and take advantage of synergistic effects.

Knowing the goals of different departments can also be helpful in ensuring that goals are generally aligned with the overarching goals of the organization. Some goals of course should remain private, but in most cases making your goals public can be extremely helpful. This keeps you accountable by generating a positive social pressure. Furthermore, making your goals public invites the help of others who would like to support you in your endeavors.

Summary

In this post we gained in-depth view of what to consider when setting SMART goals. We looked at some of the pitfalls of this approach and how to counter them. I also introduced you to an alternative framework called FAST goals.

Key Takeaways:

• Try to set specific goals
• Work with deadlines and know when you would like to reach your goals
• It should be clear to you when you have succeeded
• It is important that the goals energize and motivate you – set goals that you care about
• Revisit these goals regularly so that you can promptly make any needed adjustments
• Set ambitious goals that cause you to grow and develop. Even if you meet 60% to 70% of such goals it is still a success.
• Let others know about your goals. This will invite help from others who would like to support you in your endeavors.

In the next post, I will introduce you to a helpful goal setting worksheet. This will show you how to craft goals successfully by considering facilitators, distractors, and rewards. See you soon!

Resources

Sull, D., & Sull, C. (2018). With goals, FAST beats SMART. MIT Sloan Management Review, 59(4), 1-11.