A goal you cannot check is a wish.
Direct answer
A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. It states exactly what will be done, how success is measured, why it matters and by when. Turn "get better at sales" into "increase my monthly closed deals from 5 to 8 by the end of the quarter".
The five parts
| Letter | Question |
|---|---|
| Specific | what exactly will I do? |
| Measurable | how will I know it worked? |
| Achievable | is it realistic with my resources? |
| Relevant | does it matter to my role or aims? |
| Time-bound | by when? |
Examples
- Work: "Reduce average response time to customer emails from 24 to 12 hours within three months."
- Learning: "Complete 40 lessons of a SQL course by 31 March."
- Career: "Have coffee with five people in the data team by the end of June."
Template
"I will [action] so that [reason], measured by [metric], by [date]."
Common mistakes
- Vague words like "improve" with no number.
- Too many goals at once.
- No review date.
Where Teyro fits
Teyro's How to Set Clear Expectations course turns this into short lessons you can play in a few minutes a day. It has 50 lessons, and you can start free.
The bottom line
Make goals clear enough that anyone could check them.
