SMART Goal is commonly attributed to Peter Drucker’s Management by Objectives concept. As you may have guessed, SMART is an acronym and, over the years, it has taken on many different meanings. Traditionally, a SMART Goal is something that is: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound.
Fun fact: A few authors have even gone as far as to add two more letters, making it SMARTER;
“E” being Evaluated, and “R” being Reviewed.
Setting SMART Goals means you can clarify your ideas and focus your efforts, which allows you to allocate your time in a way that promises the most return and the highest chance of achieving your goals. Why work towards a goal you cannot achieve or will get nothing out of?
Specific- To set a specific goal, you must first answer the six “W” questions:
Measurable- Establish the criteria for measuring your progress while you work towards your goal.
When you measure your progress:
You stay on track, in terms of dates.
You know when changes need to be made.
You see what efforts work best for you and your team.