Personal Goal Setting Worksheet
Goals should be clearly stated and describe what you intend to accomplish. Use this worksheet to establish a goal by following the SMART formula outlined below. Note that setting a goal does not involve describing what steps will be taken to achieve the goal.
| Describe the goal to be attained/problem to be solved: |
|---|
Use the SMART formula to develop a goal:
Specific
| Describe the goal in terms of three "W" questions: |
|---|
| What do you want to accomplish? |
| Who will be involved/affected? |
| Where will it take place? |
Measurable
| Describe how you will know if the goal is reached: |
|---|
| What is the measure you will use? (For example, in weight loss, it might be inches around your waist or weight in pounds. For running, it might be number of miles per hour; at the gym it might be how much weight you can lift or how many reps you do. If you're cutting down on tobacco, this would be the number of cigarettes per day or amount of money spent on tobacco products you want to reduce, etc.) |
| What is the current status of that measure (e.g. dollar amount, number, percent, etc.)? |
| What do you want to increase/decrease that number to? |
Attainable
| Defend the rationale for setting the goal measure above: |
|---|
| Did you base the measure or figure you want to attain on a particular best practice/average score/benchmark? (For example, if your goal is to lose a certain amount of weight, is that based on the recommend BMI for your age?) |
| Is the goal measure set so low that it is not challenging enough? |
| Does the goal measure require a stretch without being too unreasonable? |
Relevant
| Briefly describe how the goal will address the problem stated above. |
Time-Bound
| Define the timeline for achieving the goal: |
|---|
| What is the target date for achieving this goal (e.g. three months)? |
Write a goal statement, based on the SMART elements above. The goal should be descriptive, yet concise enough that it can be easily communicated and remembered.
(Example: Lose 20 pounds by March by running three times per week and increasing my average speed every week by 30 seconds.)
Tip: It's a good idea to post the written goal somewhere visible and regularly communicate the goal to friends and family members in order to stay focused and remind yourself what you are working toward.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). (n.d.). Goal setting worksheet (B. Schuette, Ed.). Retrieved June 4, 2024, from https://www.cms.gov