How to Make Your Goals even SMARTER
In our fast-paced world, setting goals is essential. For entrepreneurs and business owners, it’s the foundation for turning dreams into tangible success. But as you may already know, simply setting goals isn’t enough. They need to be carefully crafted, actively pursued, and adapted as circumstances change.
In one of my earlier posts, 5 Steps to Setting SMART Goals for Personal & Professional Success, we introduced you to the SMART framework: a simple, effective way to define goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This methodology is powerful, but like any tool, it can be refined. That’s where the SMARTER framework comes in.
Making your goals SMARTER adds two crucial layers—Evaluation and Readjustment—that ensure your goals stay relevant, actionable, and aligned with your broader vision, even when life throws you curveballs. Let’s break down exactly what that means and how you can apply it to your personal and professional life.
Why “Just SMART” Isn’t Enough
Let’s start with a story. Imagine an entrepreneur, Sarah, who sets a SMART goal to grow her small online store’s revenue by 25% in six months. She’s off to a strong start, diligently tracking metrics and rolling out campaigns. But by month three, she notices a new competitor is siphoning off market share. Instead of adjusting her strategy, she sticks to her original plan, hoping it will eventually work.
By the end of six months, Sarah falls short of her goal. She realizes too late that she could have evaluated her progress sooner and adjusted her tactics to address the competition.
This is a common scenario. SMART goals provide structure, but they don’t account for the dynamic nature of business and life. That’s where the “ER” in SMARTER—Evaluation and Readjustment—comes to the rescue.
Recap: The SMART Framework
Before we dive deeper into SMARTER, let’s revisit the foundation:
Specific: Clearly define your goal. What exactly are you aiming for? Instead of “increase revenue,” say, “increase revenue by 20% through digital marketing.”
Measurable: Add criteria that allow you to track your progress. For instance, track monthly sales growth or customer acquisition rates.
Achievable: Set goals that challenge you but remain realistic. Aiming for a 300% revenue increase in one quarter might sound ambitious but could lead to burnout.
Relevant: Ensure your goals align with your long-term vision and priorities. If your primary aim is brand loyalty, focus on customer retention before aggressive growth.
Time-bound: Create a timeline. Without deadlines, goals can linger indefinitely, leading to procrastination.
SMART goals are like a well-drawn map, but as any seasoned traveler knows, maps don’t always account for roadblocks or detours. That’s where the next steps come in.
Evaluation: Checking the Pulse of Your Goals
Entrepreneurs are often guilty of falling into the “set it and forget it” trap. The excitement of setting a goal can overshadow the need for consistent follow-through. This is why Evaluation is critical.
What is Evaluation?
Evaluation is the ongoing process of assessing where you stand in relation to your goal. It’s not about judgment or criticism but gaining clarity on what’s working and what isn’t.
Why It’s Crucial
Think of evaluation as the GPS recalculating your route when you miss a turn. Without it, you risk wandering aimlessly or wasting precious resources on strategies that don’t yield results.
How to Incorporate Evaluation
Set Milestones: Break your goal into smaller, manageable checkpoints. For example, if your six-month goal is to onboard 50 new clients, aim for about 8-9 new clients per month and track progress accordingly.
Create a Feedback Loop: Regularly gather data and insights. This might mean analyzing sales reports, surveying customers, or reviewing team performance.
Ask Reflective Questions: What’s going well? Are there areas where progress is slower than expected?
Pro Tip: Schedule monthly or bi-weekly check-ins with yourself or your team. Use this time to review metrics and celebrate small wins—it’s a great morale booster!
Readjustment: The Art of Course-Correcting
Even the best plans need tweaking. Markets shift, customer behaviors change, and new opportunities arise. Readjustment is about adapting your goals and strategies to reflect these changes.
What is Readjustment?
It’s the process of fine-tuning your goals and tactics based on your evaluations. Far from being a sign of failure, readjustment is a hallmark of resilience and strategic thinking.
Why It’s Essential
Imagine you’re climbing a mountain and encounter a rockslide blocking your path. Do you stubbornly keep climbing the same route, or do you find another way to the top? Readjustment ensures you don’t waste time and energy on dead ends.
How to Master Readjustment
Be Open to Change: Let go of rigid plans. Flexibility often leads to innovation.
Reassess Relevance: Ask yourself, “Does this goal still align with my priorities?”
Tweak Tactics: If a specific strategy isn’t delivering results, experiment with alternatives. For example, if Facebook ads aren’t driving traffic, consider shifting your budget to Google Ads or influencer partnerships.
Pro Tip: Involve your team or mentor in the readjustment process. Fresh perspectives can spark ideas you hadn’t considered.
SMARTER in Action: A Case Study
Let’s revisit Sarah, the entrepreneur with the online store. Here’s how she could have used the SMARTER framework:
Specific: Sarah’s goal was to grow revenue by 25%.
Measurable: She tracked revenue monthly and monitored campaign performance.
Achievable: Based on past growth trends, her goal was ambitious but realistic.
Relevant: The goal aligned with her vision of scaling her business.
Time-bound: She set a six-month timeline.
By the third month, Sarah evaluated her progress and realized she was falling behind due to the new competitor. Instead of staying the course, she readjusted her strategy:
Shifted focus to customer loyalty programs to retain existing clients.
Partnered with a complementary business to cross-promote products.
Invested in market research to identify underserved niches.
By month six, Sarah didn’t hit her original 25% target—but she achieved 20% growth, built a more loyal customer base, and positioned her business for long-term success.
Why the SMARTER Framework Works for Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship is inherently unpredictable. You’re navigating uncharted waters, and no single plan can account for every variable. The SMARTER framework gives you the tools to:
Stay focused on your goals without becoming rigid.
Build a culture of learning and adaptability within your team.
Maximize efficiency by continuously aligning actions with outcomes.
Your Next Steps to SMARTER Goals
Ready to take your goal-setting to the next level? Here’s a roadmap:
Start with SMART: Define your goals with clarity and purpose.
Commit to Evaluation: Schedule regular check-ins and track your progress.
Embrace Readjustment: Be willing to pivot and adapt as needed.
Remember, achieving your goals isn’t just about reaching the destination—it’s about growing, learning, and becoming the best version of yourself along the way. With the SMARTER framework, you’re not just chasing dreams; you’re building a sustainable path to success.
Let’s make your goals not just SMART, but SMARTER.
What’s your next SMARTER goal? Share it in our Achievement Mastery Academy community!
