Being SMART About Setting Goals

When you recognize the need for change, it is likely you start setting goals. Consciously setting a goal affects your behavior (1). Many people set goals around nutrition and fitness. Maybe your New Year’s resolution was to eat more vegetables or start exercising. These goals have great intentions; however, they are not formulated in a way that sets you up for success. A SMART goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (2).  SMART goals are proven to support health-related behavior change and lead to better disease management than non-SMART goals (2).

The S in SMART stands for specific.

A goal must be specific to communicate exactly what you are going to do.

Non-SMART goal: I will drink more water → SMART goal: I will drink 80oz of water every day.

The M in SMART stands for measurable.

You must track your progress to know if you have met your goal. Fitness and food trackers can help track your behaviors, and a scale can help track weight changes.

Non-SMART goal: I will walk more. → SMART goal: I will take 10,000 steps daily and use my fitness watch to track my steps.

The A in SMART stands for achievable.

Although lofty goals can feel exciting at first, they may not be realistic or possible. Additionally, you must be equipped with the necessary tools to achieve your goal. For example, you may need a gym membership or home exercise equipment if want to begin strength training.

Non-SMART goal: I will never eat out again. → SMART goal: I will make dinner at home 5 days a week.

The R in SMART stands for relevant.

What are your values? Is this goal important to you? If this goal is not important to you, you are less likely to achieve it. By choosing a goal for yourself, you take ownership and responsibility for it. Your dietitian can collaborate with you to develop a goal, but no one besides you can commit to your goal.

Non-SMART goal: I was diagnosed with diabetes and my doctor forced me to come here. I guess I should stop eating sugar. → I will attend biweekly sessions with a dietitian to learn more about managing diabetes.

The T in SMART stands for time-bound.

When do you want to achieve the goal by? When is your deadline?

Non-SMART goal: I will lose 5 lbs. → SMART goal: I will lose 5 lbs by May 1st, 2023.

What if I don’t reach my goal?

Although SMART goals are a powerful step towards achieving better health, they are not foolproof. So, what happens if you set a SMART goal and don’t meet it?

• Forgive yourself and lose the all-or-nothing mentality. Not meeting your goal does not mean you are bad or a failure; it only means you didn’t meet your goal. Although you didn’t meet the goal, it’s likely you took some steps to achieve it, and through those steps, you became at least 1% better.
• Identify barriers. What prevented you from achieving the goal? What can you do differently in the future?
• Recommit. Remind yourself why you set the goal in the first place. Is this still important to you? Can you adjust the goal to be more specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, or timely? By re-evaluating and recommitting to a goal, you can continue to move in the right direction.

What’s your SMART goal? Your dietitian can assist you in setting SMART goals to set you up for success!

References

1. Bodenheimer T, Handley MA. Goal-setting for behavior change in primary care: an exploration and status report. Patient Educ Couns. 2009;76(2):174-180. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2009.06.001
2. Cook HE, Garris LA, Gulum AH, Steber CJ. Impact of SMART goals on diabetes management in a pharmacist-led telehealth clinic [published online ahead of print, 2022 Sep 2]. J Pharm Pract. 2022;8971900221125021. doi:10.1177/08971900221125021