Let’s be honest—some goals sound great in theory but fall apart in practice. “Read more.” “Be healthier.” “Stay on top of things.”
All well-intentioned. All painfully vague.
That’s what led me to test out SMART goals: a popular framework that helps you make your goals more specific, more realistic, and a whole lot more doable.
I’d seen the acronym everywhere, but I’d never fully committed to it. So this time, I picked a personal goal, applied the method, and tracked what actually happened.
Spoiler: It worked. Mostly.
About SMART goals
I’ve set plenty of goals before. Some stuck, most didn’t. The difference usually came down to one thing: clarity.
That’s where SMART goals come in.
The concept: It’s a five-part method for setting goals that are:
- Specific: Clear and detailed. No room for confusion.
- Measurable: You can track progress and know when you’ve succeeded.
- Achievable: Realistic, based on your current resources and time.
- Relevant: Tied to something that actually matters to you.
- Time-bound: Has a deadline or time frame to keep you on track.
The goal: Take the guesswork out of goal-setting and create a roadmap that you can actually follow.
It’s been used in everything from personal development to corporate OKRs. If you want to go deeper into the framework, Todoist has a great guide.
Setting my SMART goals
Since this was my first time working with the SMART method, I started simple. I picked a personal goal I’d been putting off for months: getting back into a regular reading habit.
Instead of vaguely saying, “I want to read more,” I reworked it into something SMART:
“I will read one book per month, starting now, focused on personal development or productivity, and I’ll track my progress weekly in my planner.”
I even made a list of six books in advance to eliminate decision fatigue. That was key for me. I can easily waste 20 minutes or more trying to decide what to read next.
What was I aiming for? I wanted to see if breaking a goal down using SMART criteria would help me follow through more than my usual “wing it and hope for the best” approach.
By setting clear parameters, like defining what I’d read, how much, and when, I gave myself a much clearer picture of success. I wasn’t just hoping I’d read more. I had a plan I could act on.
Putting the method into action
The first couple of weeks were smooth.
I started with The Power of Productivity, blocked out 20 minutes of reading time in the mornings after school drop-off, and actually stuck to it.
Having a clear plan made it so much easier to follow through. No mental back-and-forth about when to read or what book to pick. Just show up, open the book, and check off the chapter.
I tracked progress in my digital planner using a quick checkbox system. Every time I marked off a chapter with my Apple Pencil, it gave me a mini dopamine hit, just enough to stay motivated, especially with the added satisfaction of writing on a screen that actually feels like paper, thanks to Paperlike.
Then things got messy.
Not in a dramatic, everything-is-on-fire way. Just… life. Unexpected errands. One kid home sick. A last-minute project that took over my afternoon. The usual real-life interruptions that chip away at routines.
Normally, that would’ve been it. Goal abandoned. Maybe I’d pick it back up later. Maybe not.
But the time-bound part of SMART goals helped me reframe. I looked at how many chapters were left, moved a couple of non-essential tasks, and carved out new time blocks, even if it was just 10 minutes before bed.
The result? I finished the book.
Not ahead of schedule. Not perfectly. But I finished. And that felt like a win.
What worked and what didn’t
What worked? SMART goals provided structure to something that usually feels kind of slippery.
- I stayed motivated. Knowing exactly what I was doing (and why) kept me focused.
- I had less decision fatigue. Pre-selecting the books and reading times removed a lot of friction.
- I adapted. When my schedule blew up, I had just enough scaffolding to fall back on.
But what didn’t? Real life is still real life.
- I didn’t build in buffer time. One sick day derailed two reading sessions.
- I didn’t plan check-ins. A quick weekly recap might’ve helped me catch the derailment sooner.
- I underestimated the mental energy of “easy” goals. Reading is relaxing… unless your brain’s fried from everything else.
Final thoughts
SMART goals didn’t overhaul my life, but they did something better. They made my goals stick.
Instead of vague intentions, I had a real plan. One I could follow, adapt, and actually finish, even when things got chaotic.
It wasn’t perfect. I still hit bumps. But that’s kind of the point. A SMART goal doesn’t guarantee success. It just makes it easier to keep going when things get off track.
If you’re looking for a more structured way to set goals, start here. Pick something small. Make it SMART. See what happens.
