How To Stay Motivated — The S.M.A.R.T. Method

Losing motivation stinks, doesn’t it? One minute you’re all jazzed up about learning guitar or making the hockey team. But actually, sitting down to practice those guitar chords or do those drills? Ugh, so hard sometimes!

I feel you. I can’t tell you how many awesome ideas I’ve had that never turned into reality— so many almost-dreams!

There’s this thing called the S.M.A.R.T. method that works crazy well at keeping motivation high. It’s helped me stick to workout routines, and even build an app (ok, a super simple app, but still). Once you know the S.M.A.R.T. formula, you can use it to reach any goal!

What the Heck Does S.M.A.R.T. Stand For?

Every letter in S.M.A.R.T. stands for something important:

S — Specific M — Measurable

A — Achievable R — Relevant

T — Time-Bound

It will make total sense when you break it down. Let’s take it one by one.

S is for Specific

Generic goals are blah. “I want to be good at football” is super vague. Good how? Instead, go for:

“I will practice throwing and catching a football for 30 minutes, 3 days a week for the next month.”

See how it’s mad specific? Now you know exactly what to do and when to do it.

M is for Measurable

If it isn’t measurable, how will you know you did it? “Practice football 3 days a week” is measurable. You can track if you really practiced those 3 days or skipped out.

But “get better at football” alone? Can’t really measure that. Add something like “I will run laps 10% faster in a month.” Boom! Now you’ve got something to measure.

A is for Achievable

You want your goals to push you, but not crush you.

Deciding to go pro in a month? Not super achievable for anyone but Serena Williams.

Aim for something that challenges you but is within reach if you put in the work. Grow, don’t overflow!

R is for Relevant

Your goal should matter to YOU, not just sound good to others. Wanting crazy biceps to impress girls? Not very relevant or rewarding. Wanting more upper body strength to excel at mountain biking? Totally relevant.

Connect your goals to your actual interests and values. It’s so much more fulfilling.

T is for Time-Bound

Put a date on it! Having an end time forces you into action instead of procrastination.

“I’ll wash the dishes every night” is a great habit. But “I’ll wash the dishes every night for the next 2 weeks” is different. Get it done!

When you put all 5 pieces together, you’ve got goals primed for crushing. It might take some practice, but anyone can get the S.M.A.R.T. goal formula down.

Why the S.M.A.R.T. Method is Effective

I know, setting super detailed goals sounds like a lot of work. But the awesome thing is, it pays off BIG time. Studies show people who use S.M.A.R.T. goal setting are way more likely to succeed than those who don’t. One study found people lost 10% more weight using SMART goals versus generic goals over 3 months.*

But why does it work so well? Here are some of the big reasons:

Confidence Booster

Nothing breeds success like success. Every time you nail another S.M.A.R.T. goal milestone, your brain gets a hit of feel-good dopamine. This gives you the confidence boost needed to tackle the next step. Winning momentum is real!

Structures Your Time

Time feels like it’s always slipping away. S.M.A.R.T. goals demand you schedule your time properly. Suddenly you know exactly when you’ll practice football or study Spanish. It’s way harder to procrastinate!

Holds You Accountable

No one will remind you to work on your goals every day — except you! S.M.A.R.T. goals make it super obvious when you’ve skipped out on stuff. You can’t as easily lie to yourself. Accountability ftw!

In summary, S.M.A.R.T. goals are your best shot at translating big, fuzzy dreams into concrete day-by-day progress. How sweet is that?

Crafting Your Own S.M.A.R.T. Goals: Some Pro Tips

You’ve got to find that sweet spot between pushing your limits and setting yourself up for success.

Here are my best tips for crafting S.M.A.R.T. goals:

Start Small, Dream Big

Don’t go for a massive life-changing goal on day 1. Even learning guitar for 30 mins a day might sound daunting at first. Begin with just 5–10 minutes daily instead. Once that’s routine, build upwards.

Schedule It Out

Treat your goal like a serious appointment. Physically block off specific times for it in your calendar. Scheduling forces you to decide when you’ll make time instead of leaving it vague.

Expect Some Fails

You’re only human! Some weeks life punches you in the face and you miss a few guitar practices. Don’t angst about it, just regroup and get back on track. Failing happens, quitting doesn’t.

Review Often

Every month, check in on your progress and update your goals. Make sure they still make sense for your skill level and interests.

Changing goals isn’t a failure, it’s growth!

See, with the right mindset and tools, nothing can stop you from crushing your goals! Even when you stumble, S.M.A.R.T. goals give you a roadmap to finding your way again.

Uh Oh, I’ve Got Some Dumb Goals. Help!

Maybe you’re looking at your current goals and realizing they need some S.M.A.R.T.ening up. No worries! Old goals can be retooled.

Try asking yourself:

• How will I know if I’ve achieved this?
• What does success look like?
• Do I have actual deadlines?
• Can I break this into smaller milestones?

Get clear on the specifics and create measurable markers of progress. Break into baby steps if needed. Set deadlines for each piece. A dash of S.M.A.R.T.ness will shape up those goals right quickly.

Turning Motivation Into Discipline

Motivation is fleeting but discipline lasts.

Some days you’ll feel so pumped to practice drums! Then other days even looking at your drum kit is meh.

That’s where discipline swoops in — doing what you said you’d do, motivated or not. Thankfully, discipline is a habit you can build over time.

Key Points

Alright, time to get out there and start setting some S.M.A.R.T. goals! Here’s a recap of the steps:

1️⃣ Choose a small goal to start with. Learning bass guitar for 10 mins daily? Yesss.

2️⃣ Make it S.M.A.R.T. — specific, measurable, the whole deal.

3️⃣ Schedule time for it, treat it like a real appointment.

4️⃣ Focus just on sticking to it for 1–2 weeks. Consistency builds discipline!

5️⃣ Review and update goals monthly. Change it up as needed.

6️⃣ Reward yourself when you stick to the schedule. Discipline needs positivity!

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