If you’ve failed to achieve S.M.A.R.T. goals, don’t worry, it’s not you the problem. The “S.M.A.R.T.” methodology of achieving are a small portion of what it takes to set and achieve goals. Because the first step to achieving goals is to set meaningful and inspired ones.
Ok, let me first preface by saying that I don’t actually hate S.M.A.R.T. goals.
I just find that S.M.A.R.T. goals are incomplete and they lack a very important element. They only provide a small portion of what you need to do to set achievable goals.
That’s because I believe that for goals to be successful, they need to have a more hollisitic and balanced approach. For you to be able to achieve your goals, they need to be INSPIRED and they need to be meaningful.
Because achieving goals isn’t about only about the outcome, but about the person you’re becoming as you’re working towards achieving your goals.
- Related: Why You Need to Set INSPIRED Goals
What Are S.M.A.R.T. Goals?
If you’re not familiar with the principle of S.M.A.R.T. goals, it’s an approach to set goals in a way that you can achieve them.
S.M.A.R.T. goals must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-based
For goals to be achievable, they need to be specific. In other words, you need to clearly define what your goals are so that you can figure out how to achieve them.
Your goals also have to be measurable – you need to be able to measure them so that you can see how you’re progressing and so that you can know when you’ve achieved them.
Your goals need to be achievable. In other words, they need to realistic so that you can achieve them, otherwise, if they’re too challenging, then you will struggle and will get frustrated and will give up.
Then, a S.M.A.R.T. goal must be relevant, which means that it has to be relevant to YOU – to your beliefs, your other goals and to your lifestyle, for example.
Finally, a S.M.A.R.T. goals must be time-based. You must have a target date by which you want to achieve the goal and any specific milestones related to it.
I could go more in detail about what S.M.A.R.T. goals are, but this gives you a good idea of what they are so so you can understand why I hate them…or at least why I think they are incomplete.
The Missing Elements of S.M.A.R.T. Goals
So why am I so passionate about S.M.A.R.T. goals and I’m saying that I hate them?
Again, I don’t hate them…i just think that they can be misleading.
For a while, I kept on setting goals that respected the criteria of S.M.A.R.T. goals but I was never able to fully achieve them. And I got frustrated and discouraged. In fact, I stopped setting goals for a while because I believed that setting goals didn’t work.
But what if I told you that not all goals are measurable?
What if I told you that you won’t be able to set a timeline for all your goals?
What if I told you that your goals don’t have to be measurable to be relevant?
See, the reason why I believe that S.M.A.R.T. goals are incomplete is that they are missing a few elements. They are missing the foundation of setting goals that are achievable.
S.M.A.R.T. goals are missing two IMPORTANT elements. S.M.A.R.T. goals are not inspired and are not meaningful.
What do I mean by “inspired” and “meaningful”. I mean that goals need to connect your heart to your actions. They need to set your heart on fire and get you excited.
I’m saying that for you to have the drive and motivation to achieve your goals, they have to give you a deeper sense of meaning and purpose and they have to INSPIRE you, every day, to wake up and take a step towards achieving them.
S.M.A.R.T. goals are too focused on the DOING rather than the BEING.
Because at the end of the day, we are human beings, and if we focus on who we want to BE and what we want to experience in our lives, then the doing will follow.
And based on THAT foundation, we can figure out the specific goals that we need to achieve, and make them measurable (if possible), achievable, realistic and time-based (again, if possible).
Think about it for a second: if you want to feel happier or to feel more confident, how do you measure that? How do you figure out by what date you need to achieve those goals?
You can’t!
But if your ultimate goal is to feel happier, then if you define what happiness means to you, more specifically, then it will be easier to figure out what you need to do to be happier, and THOSE can be measurable and time-based. Not the “happiness” part, which is the result that you’re after.
Another great example is if you want to feel confident. Well, what makes you feel confident? Is it physical, emotional, or both? Depending on your answer, the actions you will take will vary greatly!
If you’re looking for physical confidence, then maybe you need to eat healthier and exercise. Or maybe you need to have a better wardrobe so you can wear outfits that make you feel more confident.
The Alternative to S.M.A.R.T. Goals
So what I’m talking about is that you should be setting inspired and meaningful goals so that you can create a more purposeful life.
I’m saying that you should set goals that are more intentional and have a deeper meaning for you, instead of searching for more things.
Because if you ask the right questions to guide your goals, the doing will follow.
If you understand the foundation of the life you’re trying to create, a life that you truly and deeply love, then figuring out what you need to do will be a lot easier.
Because if you want to achieve goals, you need to have a strong foundation. You need to have the right habits and the right mindset to give you the emotional and physical resources to be able to achieve your goals.
The journey to achieve your goals isn’t about the accomplishment itself, but about the person you’re becoming to achieve those goals. It’s about the type of life that you want to live, the person you want to be, and the emotions that you want to experience in life.
The Outcome of Inspired Goals vs. S.M.A.R.T. Goals
When you set inspired goals instead of just S.M.A.R.T. goals, you will live a more fulfilled life.
You will find more meaning and purpose in your day-to-day.
You will have a deeper understanding and connection to who you are and the dream life you want to create.
You will be focusing on the deeper elements of life that matter more, and you will be able to live a more full and happy life based on experiences and not material things.
Because again, it’s not about the “doing” but about the “being”. Once you understand how you want to experience life, you will be able to easily figure out what you need to do.
Get Started!
This whole blog is based on the principle of setting inspired goals to live a more meaningful life, so if it your first time here, WELCOME! You have lots of amazing content to go through to learn about “inspired goals”.
Make sure to check out the free resource library where I teach you the basis of inspired goals so that you can start living a more inspired life.
If you’re not new to Elle is for Love (thank you for your love and support!) then this is your reminder to constantly make an effort towards your personal development and to always realign yourself with your inspired goals.
And if you’ve been here before but haven’t done any of the inner work yet, this is your friendly (but also not-so-friendly) kick in the butt to get to it – what are you waiting for?! Have you done the life audit yet? Have you done the self-discovery worksheet? Have you read through the resource library!?
I’m here to help you because all I want for you is to live a happier, more fulfilled and a more purposeful life.
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Amy says
Thank you for this! I always the traditional way of setting goals was a bunch of crap. I really enjoyed reading this.