Make your Goals SMART

Did you know that your goals should be SMART? What on earth does that mean?

SMART goals are just that, smart! They’re also:

S - Specific

M - Measurable

A - Achievable

R - Relevant

T - Timely

Specific - Goals should be clear and specific, so that you will be able to focus and feel motivated in achieving it! Try to focus on why you want to achieve the goal. What, exactly, are you trying to do? How are you going to get there?

Ex: I want to get back into my fitness routine after taking a break due to the pandemic.

Great goal, but let’s be more specific. What is or was your fitness routine? What do you want to make sure you accomplish?

Ex: I want to return to my 2019 schedule of working out 2 times per week with my trainer, and also commit to going for two runs per week.

Measurable - Goals should be quantifiable. You should be able to look back and clearly say “Yes, I did that” or “No, I did not accomplish that”. This makes it easier to track your progress and meet your deadlines.

Ex: “I want to run more miles per week”

What does “more” mean to you? What are you currently doing, and what’s the difference between that and your goal?

Better: During my two runs per week, I want to make sure I hit at least 8 miles.

Achievable - Nothing’s worse than setting yourself up for failure. Reach for the stars, sure, but be realistic. Goals should be achievable based on your body, your time, and your other obligations, while being difficult enough to be motivating and challenge you to break out of your current routine.

Ex: I want to run a marathon.

Are you currently running half marathons with ease, and want to take the next step? Sounds achievable! But if you’re our person above, just getting going with 8 miles per week, let’s take it back a step. A great eventual goal is a marathon, but let’s start a little more realistic.

Better: I want to eventually run a marathon, starting with running a 10k.

Relevant - This goal needs to feel important to you and be in line with your other goals, both fitness related and not. Sometimes, in order to get to where we want to go we have to do some things that we don’t want to do (working out before work, anyone?) but the goal itself should be an exciting joy.

Ex: Still want to run that marathon!

Maybe this is a great goal for you. But if you’re someone prone to knee issues, maybe this isn’t a good choice. Maybe there is another goal that would still leave you feeling accomplished and proud without taxing your body potentially beyond repair.

Better: Since running exacerbates my knee problem, I want to swim a mile non stop.

Timely - Every goal needs a date attached to it. This gives you a timeline so that you can plan out the practice needed to achieve it.

Ex: I want to run a 10k.

What a specific goal! Great! But by when? Tomorrow? Maybe not achievable! Three years from now? Too easy!

Better: I want to run the Turkey Trot 10k in my city in November of this year.

Now get out there and make some goals. Create some SMART goals for yourself - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely, and get out there and crush them. Make sure to share your goals with your trainer so they can support you in your journey!