SMART Goals

Explanation

SMART is an acronym for five checks you run a goal through before committing to it: Specific (exactly what will change), Measurable (a number or clear finish line), Achievable (realistic given your time and resources), Relevant (it actually matters to your bigger picture), and Time-bound (a deadline). A goal that fails any of the five tends to stay a wish instead of a plan.

Example

"Get fit" is not SMART. "Run 5km without stopping by the end of March, training three times a week" is — it names the exact outcome, a number, a realistic ramp-up, and a deadline.