I love making a plan. For one, it gives me something to be excited about like if I’m prepping for a hike or a trip. In goal setting, it helps me conceptualize the process so I can think about what the finish line could look and long it may take to get where I want to go.
I’ve mentioned a few ways coaching can overlap with therapy like the use of positive psychology, centering client experiences, and acknowledging and reframing negative thoughts.
Well, here’s another one.
Like therapist, coaches set goals with clients during sessions. However, a difference that I see in how I set goals with clients compared to therapists I’ve spoken with is how detailed the goals are down to the daily tasks as well as breadth of goal focus ie. broad health goals for physical, mental and emotional health.
However, without a plan, a goal is just a wish.
The SMART goals framework is used in all kinds of coaching from health to business. It’s also something used in organizational management to create realistic goals and objectives.
SMART equals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. You may also see A mean Attainable, and R mean Realistic. In public health, we use SMART goals, but we dive deeper into SMART IE goals where I means Inclusion and E means Equity. While SMART IE may seem to make more sense in an organizational setting, I think it can make sense in coaching because it can help consider social determinants that influence our abilities and individual choices.
Let’s talk about what you need to know so you can set a goal.
SMART IE Outline
- Specific means to define your objective clearly The first step is to make it specific. While you may start out by saying I want to “exercise more” asking yourself other questions like what, why and how can help you change a vague goal to a concrete goal. So, instead of “I want to exercise more,” you could say “I will walk for 30 minutes 5 times a week after work to improve my overall fitness.”
- Measurable means to quantify your progress Measuring progress can help us stay on track and be motivated. Similar to being clear with your goal, having specific ways for measuring your success will help you determine your progress. For example, if your goal is to save money, specify the exact amount you want to save each month. Measuring your progress in this way can provide a sense of accomplishment as you reach milestones, and it may also help you think critically about the actions your taking to reach the goal.
- Achievable means to set realistic and attainable goals I love when clients dream big, but there is a difference between dreaming big and setting unrealistic goals. Being unrealistic can lead to frustration and discouragement. Being realistic means assessing your resources, skills, and timeframe to ensure that your goal is achievable. Starting where you are and making small changes as you and your circumstances change can help you set small goals within an ultimate goal.
- Relevant means to ensure your goal matters to you A relevant goal is one that aligns with your values, priorities, and long-term objectives. Consider the bigger picture and evaluate whether your goal contributes to your overall vision of success. It’s not uncommon to set goals that are externally motivated, but without internal motivation it’s normal for you to stay committed to the goal. That also means that as life happens, it’s very reasonable that your goals may shift or not make sense anymore too.
- Time-bound means to set a deadline (that’s realistic) A goal without a deadline can be really challenging because of the lack of urgency. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t some goals that aren’t lifelong, but depending on the goal, a timeline can help you stick to your goal. It’s important to define a realistic timeframe for achieving your goal, whether it’s a short-term or long-term objective. It can be hard to think about what that could look like, however, if you recognize that you need to make drastic lifestyle changes immediately and all at once, it’s possible the timeline isn’t long enough for this goal. For example, losing 20 pounds in a month may not be realistic for everyone, but losing on average 1 pound a week may be.
In SMART IE goals, inclusion asks what other perspectives should be brought in that aren’t represented; equity asks how can you change the goal to consider equity and inclusion.
When using these with clients, I think ask them to consider their goal and I bring it back to relevance and discuss what are external barriers they may face. For a client who says they want to start going to the gym, but lacks the funds to do so, we may talk about other exercise and activity options that they can do now. Depending on the situation we may also talk about a stretch goal to budget a physical gym in the future.
For coaching, inclusion and equity may not always make sense in all individual goals, but it’s important to acknowledge that there are barriers that exist for many populations for a variety of reasons. These barriers should always be considered in goal setting as there are systemic issues that influence individual choice. For clients, it’s important to recognize that goals should support you and not make you feel like you’re failing or be designed for you to fail.
If you’re interested in working with me on a variety of health and wellness goals, please submit a form. I’d love to chat and see what we can accomplish together.
