SMART Goals Examples: 30 Vague Goals Rewritten So You Can Actually Do Them

What SMART means, in one minute

SMART is a checklist for writing a goal so it can't hide. A SMART goal is:

• Specific: it says what exactly will be different.
• Measurable: you can count or check it.
• Achievable: it's a stretch, but you can see how it could happen.
• Relevant: it matters to you, not to someone you're trying to impress.
• Time-bound: it has a date.

The fastest way to learn it is to see it done. Below are 30 goals, each written first the way most of us write goals ("get fit"), then rewritten so you could start on it this week.

Career SMART goals examples

1. Vague: Get a better job. SMART: Apply to 15 product roles that match my skills by March 31, with a tailored CV for each, and track every application in one sheet.

2. Vague: Get promoted. SMART: Ask my manager by January 20 what "ready for senior" looks like, agree on three things to show, and deliver all three by the June review.

3. Vague: Network more. SMART: Have one coffee or call with someone in my field every two weeks until the end of June: 12 conversations.

4. Vague: Switch careers. SMART: Finish one beginner course in data analysis by April 30 and build two small portfolio projects by July 31. A full career change plan covers the rest.

5. Vague: Be more productive at work. SMART: Block 9 to 11am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for deep work, no meetings or chat, for the next 8 weeks.

6. Vague: Start a side business. SMART: Land my first paying freelance client by May 31 by messaging 5 people in my network every week from now.

Health and fitness SMART goals examples

7. Vague: Get fit. SMART: Do three 30 minute strength sessions a week (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday) for the next 12 weeks.

8. Vague: Run more. SMART: Run 5 km without stopping by March 15, following a 3 runs a week beginner plan.

9. Vague: Eat healthier. SMART: Cook dinner at home at least 5 nights a week for the next 6 weeks, planned every Sunday.

10. Vague: Sleep better. SMART: Phone out of the bedroom and lights off by 11pm on weeknights for 30 days, checked off each morning.

11. Vague: Drink less. SMART: No alcohol Sunday to Thursday for the next 8 weeks.

12. Vague: Be less stressed. SMART: Walk outside for 20 minutes after lunch every workday this month.

Money SMART goals examples

13. Vague: Save money. SMART: Move a fixed amount to a separate savings account on payday every month until I have one month of expenses saved, by September 30.

14. Vague: Get out of debt. SMART: Pay off my credit card by August 31 by paying a set amount every month and making no new card purchases.

15. Vague: Spend less. SMART: Cancel every subscription I haven't used in 30 days by this Sunday, and review the list on the first of each month.

16. Vague: Understand my finances. SMART: Track every expense for 30 days, then write a one-page monthly budget by the end of next month.

17. Vague: Earn more. SMART: Research the market rate for my role and ask for a raise in my next one-to-one, before March 31.

Learning SMART goals examples

18. Vague: Learn a language. SMART: Practise Spanish 20 minutes a day, 6 days a week, and hold a 10 minute conversation with a tutor by June 30.

19. Vague: Read more. SMART: Read 20 pages every night before bed and finish 6 books by the end of June.

20. Vague: Learn to code. SMART: Finish an introductory Python course by April 15, then build and share one small tool I'd actually use by May 31.

21. Vague: Get better at writing. SMART: Publish one 600 word post every Sunday for 10 weeks.

22. Vague: Do well in my exams. (For students, there's more in goal setting for students.) SMART: Study each subject in two 45 minute blocks a week and complete three full past papers per subject before the exam on May 20.

Relationship SMART goals examples

23. Vague: Spend more time with family. SMART: Call my parents every Sunday and visit them once a month until the end of the year.

24. Vague: Make new friends. SMART: Join one weekly club or class by February 15 and go every week for 3 months.

25. Vague: Be a better partner. SMART: One phone-free evening together every week and one planned day out every month, for the next 3 months.

26. Vague: Keep in touch with old friends. SMART: Message two old friends every Friday for the next 10 weeks.

Personal SMART goals examples

27. Vague: Be more organised. SMART: Do a 10 minute weekly review every Sunday at 6pm for the next 8 weeks.

28. Vague: Stop scrolling so much. SMART: Keep social apps under 30 minutes a day, using the phone's screen time limit, for 30 days.

29. Vague: Be more creative. SMART: Finish one small piece (a drawing, a song, a short story) every two weeks until the end of April: 8 pieces.

30. Vague: Declutter my home. SMART: Clear one room per weekend for the next 5 weekends, and donate or sell everything I haven't used in a year.

The step SMART leaves out

SMART makes a goal clear. It doesn't make it happen. Plenty of perfectly SMART goals die in February, for two reasons.

SMART doesn't ask why. "Run 5 km by March 15" is SMART, but if you don't know why you want it, it loses to a cold morning. Write one line above each goal: what this gets you, or who it's for. If the goal is part of something bigger, connect it to that, like a personal vision or one of your long-term life goals.

SMART stops at the goal. It tells you where the finish line is, not what to do on Tuesday. The fix is to break the goal into milestones and the milestones into actions with a day and a time:

If you want more on that middle part, here's how to break down a big goal into milestones and weekly actions, and how to set monthly goals so each month has its own finish line.

Write yours now

Pick one goal from your head, not from the list. Write the vague version. Then rewrite it: what exactly, how much, by when, and why it matters. Then write the first action with a day and a time, and put it in your calendar.

That's one SMART goal with a real first step. It's more than most goals ever get.