How To Use AI To Set SMART Goals: A Comperhensive Guide With Example

We usually tend to have many goals in our lives. And as you grow up your goals change. I am not only referring to the significant objectives but also discussing all the different kinds of goals.

While I will concentrate on goals related to our business, the concepts discussed can also be applied to various types of objectives, such as winning a video game or improving academic performance.

I am talking about SMART goals, and I do not mean smart that comes from being intelligent. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Well, We will explore each one of these components and their significance in goal-setting. First, let’s consider why it is essential to adhere to this framework.

The Importance of Setting SMART Goals

Sometimes, when we set goals, we tend to be overly ambitious, such as wanting to go to the gym to lose a few pounds. While this may seem like a legitimate goal, many of us still fail to achieve it. The reason is quite simple: it is not a SMART goal.

Let me elaborate. If you go to the gym with the expectation of losing a few pounds solely through cardio, you are missing the bigger picture. Shedding weight requires an effort that encompasses not only exercise but also dietary changes. You need to be mindful of your caloric intake, your hydration levels, and numerous other factors. The challenge often arises when we begin with motivation but see no progress in the first month. I have been working out for over a month, and I have even gained weight. This is where the concept of SMART goals becomes crucial.

This applies to our business as well. I want to increase revenue, attract more visitors, and generate greater profits. However, we often overlook the fact that these objectives are the culmination of many smaller goals that must also be taken into account.

The Best Practice of Setting SMART goals

Let’s begin by establishing some SMART goals. First, we need to understand what SMART represents. As previously mentioned, SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Now, let’s break it down further.

S-Specific Goal

Setting a specific goal requires clarity and specificity. When we refer to being specific, we need to outline several key details rather than just stating the goal itself. For instance, let’s revisit our gym example. Instead of simply labeling it as a gym goal, we should define precisely what we aim to achieve during our workouts and what outcomes we expect. In this case, the objective could be to lose weight, but we must specify the exact number of pounds we intend to shed.

The second element in making the goal specific is identifying who is responsible for it; in our case, that will be us. Next, we will consider what steps need to be taken to achieve our goal. In our example, we will need to:

• Go to the gym regularly.
• Take care of our diet.
• Get enough sleep.

Now, as you can see, several steps need to be taken into consideration. For instance, going to the gym regularly is important, but it cannot be vague. We need to specify the number of days we will attend, which days of the week, and what time each day we will go to the gym.

For instance, three days a week—Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday—at 1:00 p.m. This specification applies not only to the first element but also to all other elements, such as the details of our diet and sleep schedule.

M-Measurable Goal

After specifying the goal and gathering all the necessary details, we move on to the measurability step. Can we measure our goal? Is it qualitative or quantitative? Can we track our progress throughout the process?

These questions provide a solid foundation for making our goal measurable, serving as indicators of whether we are heading in the wrong direction or not. As you know, even minor missteps can lead to significantly different outcomes.

For our example, let us say that we want to lose 10 pounds. However, another question arises: if I am so ambitious that losing 10 pounds isn’t enough, and I want to lose 100 pounds and be shredded, what should I do? The reason I chose 10 pounds for our example is to illustrate the next part of creating a SMART goal.

A-Achievable Goal

Now you understand why I chose 10 pounds instead of 100 pounds. Ten pounds is a more attainable goal, as a SMART goal should be both realistic and achievable. However, what is considered achievable and realistic can vary from person to person; therefore, it is essential to have a clear understanding of our current situation.

For instance, are we already going to the gym? Have we visited the gym recently? Have we taken a break for some time? Are we returning after a long or short hiatus? All of these factors will determine our current status and what we can achieve.

From this, we can conclude that everyone has their own achievable goals. It is not about what can be done, but rather what we can do and what our business can accomplish. This principle applies to businesses as well; when comparing ourselves to competitors, some strategies may work effectively for them, while others may not yield the same results for us, even if those strategies were successful for our competitors.

R-Relevant Goal

After determining what is achievable for us, it is time to examine the bigger picture. Will this goal contribute to my overall objectives? Why am I setting this goal? In our case, the aim might be to improve our health, so does losing a few pounds contribute to that goal? The answer is yes.

This step involves more validation than the previous one. The goal should be relevant and achievable based on our capabilities. For instance, if a goal of losing 10 pounds is relevant but not attainable for me as I am just beginning my workout journey, it may be wise to set a smaller goal.

T-Time-bound Goal

Controlling our goals over time is essential for achieving them. Time provides a framework that outlines the necessary steps to accomplish our objectives, making it more straightforward and manageable to track our progress.

In this example, we can aim to achieve a 10-pound weight loss within three months. Allowing this timeframe will help us identify any mistakes we may have made and adjust our approach to reach our goal. If, after one month, I do not observe any change in my weight, it indicates a potential issue in my strategy, and some modifications may be necessary. This could involve increasing cardio, improving my diet, or addressing any other underlying factors.

Using AI To Help Setting A SMART Goal

How can AI assist us in setting SMART goals? For AI to be effective, we must provide a substantial amount of information. The key to utilizing AI is to establish a framework and allow it to focus on the finer details.

You need to incorporate all the missing elements. For example, let us ask AI how we can transform our gym goals into SMART goals. In the second approach, we should include all the details we have identified here. Which method would be more effective? You can certainly test both approaches, but I assure you that the second one is superior.

AI is a great helper tool. Here are the top five free AI tools for businesses that facilitate tasks, but do not allow AI to do everything. I used to make a joke while teaching AI algorithms, saying, “AI can prove that birds are the reason for death on Earth if it looks at all other planets and finds zero deaths and zero birds.

The use of AI is pretty straightforward. For example, ChatGPT requires simple questions and it will answer. The primary challenge is to prompt the AI for the desired output. A solution is to take Google’s Prompting Essential course, which will elevate your skills.

Conclusion

Achieving a goal can be a challenging process; however, utilizing the SMART goal technique to establish our objectives can significantly simplify this journey.

To set a goal, we must ensure that it is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound—not only in our business endeavors but also in our everyday lives.

Having a SMART goal will help you achieve your objectives. For large or long-term goals, it is advisable to break them down into smaller, manageable goals to facilitate control and increase the likelihood of success.

If we examine it closely, business is essentially a long series of small goals that culminate in a larger objective. By adhering to the SMART goals framework, achieving these goals becomes more manageable and feasible, ultimately ensuring our business’s success.