
SMART Goals – Learn How To Achieve Your 2020 Goals NOW!
So basically, we all want to hop on that ‘achieving your goals’ bandwagon. Before you start creating your ‘Summer Bucket List‘ or goals, take a read of this post. This will allow you to create SMART goals that will increase the probability of you
There is a good chance that you have heard of setting SMART goals before. I first learnt about them in GCSE Physical Education, BUT, don’t make the assumption that they are only for fitness.
Setting SMART goals can benefit you in every aspect of your life.
You want to save a bit more money? Set SMART goals.
You want to develop your career and achieve a promotion at work? Set SMART goals.
Do
Setting SMART Goals!
To make the process of setting SMART goals easier for you, I am going to go into some more detail on the 5 different aspects of setting SMART goals.
But first – think of an area of your life you want to improve. It could be fitness related, skill related or even ‘Hey, I own too many plastic containers.’ (COUGH, MUM!) Now that you have your main aim, follow along with this post. By the end, you should have a Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound goal that is ready for you to SMASH!

Specific
So, I got you to think of an aspect of your life you want to improve, progress or change. It is safe for me to assume that what you are currently thinking of is quite general. Don’t worry – so are most of the goals people set. Most people also don’t tend to remain motivated and continue to pursue their goals long-term.
We are going to get down to the NITTY GRITTY of what you ACTUALLY want to achieve here.
Why do you want to save a bit more money? Why do you want that promotion at work? Do you want to become more financially free or have more responsibility? Think carefully, make it deep and true.
I have yet to learn a lot more about the Law of Attraction. However, I do know that what vibe you put into the world is what vibe you will receive back. When thinking about the specifics of your goal, use a POSITIVE term and ENERGISED words.
Negative: “I want to save more money because I am jealous of the people I see on social media on their expensive holidays.”
Positive: “I want to save X amount of money. This is because I have always wanted to visit X in X country. I did a project on it back at school and was fascinated with its history!”
Measurable
We now need to ensure that your goal can be measured. This could be in units or by comparing it to something. Comparing can be dangerous ground. I would recommend using progression photos, (Like the ones I am using in my Cut Reload Review Series) than another person.


Examples of using units may be, ‘I want to save £1000 to pay off the debt I owe to my parents.’ Or, ‘I want to be able to leg press 100kg.’
Through doing this, you are creating a goal that allows you to see your progress easier. You can scope where you are and how much extra you need to put in, in order to achieve it.
Gaining motivation from just number can be hard, where as seeing progress can be a huge motivation. Actually seeing yourself get closer to that goal, saving £500 or lifting 70kg, is much more motivating. Especially when you compare it to the generic, ‘I want to get stronger’, because where does that goal actually end? What are you comparing it to?
Achievable
Have you set the bar too high? Everyone loves a challenge, but an unobtainable goal is a motivation KILLER!
If you have your heart set on achieving this major goal, try splitting it down into several smaller goals.
Recently I am seeing a lot of people on Twitter with the goal of writing and publishing a book. (Shoutout to Chloe and Shannen!) Writing an entire novel seems daunting, and potentially unachievable. Writing the first chapter seems much easier right? Your brain is then programmed to think, ‘Hey! I can do that!‘ This concept can be used for any goal and remember:
Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.
Greg Anderson
Realistic
Setting realistic goals links in quite nicely with ensuring your goal is achievable. Make sure your goal is REALISTIC.
If you don’t know how to swim but you suddenly say you want to be able to swim 100 laps each day is NOT being realistic. This then links in with splitting your goals up. Hell yeah, one day you will swim those 100 laps. But, for now, that will most likely be unobtainable and you can guess what the result of that is…a loss of motivation!
Use this opportunity to link your goals into your life. Your goal is to save £1000. You have split this up into four different £250 goals. Making this goal realistic means realising that some months you may not be able to save as much money.
Make sure you bear in mind the fact that your car could break down (not relatable at all…) or you may have an unexpected bill. This isn’t a failure, it is just a bump in the journey. But, by making your goals realistic this should limit the hit your motivation takes!
Time-Bound
Last, but still as important, we need to add some time frames to your goal! This can act as a core motivator – IF, you make it work for your personality.
Some people I know say they perform better under pressure. Others I know don’t. This is also where making your goal REALISTIC is important. You aren’t going to leg press 100kg by the end of the week! Give each of your split goals a particular time frame. I recommend writing this down and sticking it where you can see it. Tick it off when you reach that date. Extend it where needed. Remember, this is YOUR goal!
You now have your first SMART goal!
Now, put your Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound aspects together and, BAM, you have your first SMART goal!
By getting down to the nitty-gritty of your goal specifics; ensuring that you measure progression; splitting your large goal into smaller goals; and time-bounding it, you are one step closer to achieving it!
I would love to read what SMART goal you finished this post with! Leave them in the comments below or tweet me! (@MSBLife_)
I find this content so motivating and it really drives me to achieve my own goals. Keep an eye out on MSB Life in the upcoming week – I am working on something special, that SMART goals come into!
Till next time my SMART lil’ friends!
-Millie 🙂


20 Comments
Rachel
Here in the US, it’s the middle of the night and obsession over my goals has me sleepless! Your post is perfect timing. With the right focus, no need to worry–just focused intention on progress! Your progress on your fitness goal, by the way– keep up the good work!
msblife28
Oh wow I’m glad I could time my post well for you then haha! Thank you so much for reading and good luck on achieving your SMART goals!!
Madi Dearson
I love this concept! I try to do that in life, I work the best when I have deadlines so for me the last point of making it time bound is really important. Right now I am focusing on strengthening my body, thus my working out project that started this week:) I want to be in shape. Since I don’t believe in weighing myself and measuring myself, I just focus on feeling good, feeling strong and being comfortable within my body. So I put a date on it – I want to be in shape by the time the husband and I go off to Greece so I can take a run and do Yoga with him on the beach as he did without me last summer. Hope I stick with it, because let me tell ya, it’s not easy for me:)
msblife28
That’s amazing Madi! I love that you are concentrating on your ability and how you feel, opposed to numbers. I fully believe that you have got this and KEEP GOING!! Thank you so much for reading and I’m super jealous of your trip to Greece!
Chocoviv
What a smart way of thinking!
writingthebluesaway
I learned about these at school and I think it’s such a helpful thing to make your goals more structured and achievable! I kind of use this with my novel (thanks for the shoutout ) in which I think ‘by the end of the day I want to have done a thousand words’ or something like that. It gives you something to work to and takes a little pressure off. It also makes you feel good if you surpass the goal too!
msblife28
Haha thought I would plug you there 😉 I’m super excited to get to read the work that your goals have allowed you to create and that feeling of ticking something off a list is great!
Megan Elizabeth
Yes to this! I like the idea of having a measurable part, I need to do that more! X
Megan | https://meganelizabethlifestyle.com/
msblife28
Thanks Megan!:)
ThatAutisticFitChick
This has me thinking about my long term goal of 50 push-ups again! I really need to do a test to see what my current max is after I got derailed with an injury last year and start putting together a plan to increase by 1 or 2 a month 😀
msblife28
Omg – 50!? I am barely doing one haha! This has motivated me to start practising them more so thank you! Good luck on progressing back to 50 and thank you for reading!!:)
Naomi (Inching Forwards)
I LOVE SMART goals, thank you so much for sharing this! You broke it down really nicely and also reminded me that I need to set some for this month (thank you). I almost think there’s no point in setting goals if they’re not SMART (or at least if they don’t hit some of the criteria) – because you (or, more specifically, I) are just not going to do them.
msblife28
Haha no worries! Thank you for taking the time to read Naomi and I hope your SMART goals are going well! I completely agree as people will most likely lose motivation and not achieve them. Have an amazing day and good luck with your SMART goals!
Bexa
This is really inspiring and motivating, Millie! I have heard of the term SMART goals before, but found it so interesting to read about each one in more detail with examples too. Everything here makes so much sense and it is such a great way to set yourself achievable goals. I remember when I was losing weight, I found progress photos really motivational for me too, seeing changes really kept me going. Thank you for sharing and all the best with your future goals!! <3 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
msblife28
Thank you so much Bexa! I really like the thought process behind SMART goals and I am glad that you found it interesting! Have an amazing day 🙂
Lindsey
I am SO bad at setting smart goals – I’m always about trying to do way too much in a time-period that isn’t possible and then wondering why I don’t seem to have got anywhere with anything! This is such a good post, definitely some tips here that I need to start implementing, thanks!
msblife28
Don’t worry – I found myself doing that too! Hopefully SMART goals can help avoid that. Thank you for reading Lindsey and have a great week!
Pingback:
Pingback:
Pingback: