How to Actually Write a Goal That Works (Two Frameworks, Zero BS)
You've done the hard work. You've identified what you want. You've found your "why." You've got that one-sentence statement that makes your spine straighten when you read it.
Now it's time to transform that clarity into a concrete goal, something specific enough to work toward, measurable enough to track, and realistic enough to actually achieve.
This is where most goal-setting advice gets painfully corporate. You've probably seen those acronym frameworks that feel like they were designed in a boardroom by people who've never struggled to change anything in their actual lives.
Here's the thing: frameworks can be useful. They provide structure when you're staring at a blank page wondering how to turn "I want to be healthier" into something actionable. But they're tools, not commandments. Use what works, ignore what doesn't.
I'm going to give you two different approaches. Choose the one that resonates with how your brain works. Or take pieces from both. This is your goal, which means you get to design it in a way that makes sense for you.
Before You Start: Write Your Why at the Top
Seriously. Pull out your paper or open a document. Before you write anything else, put your why statement at the very top.
This keeps your reason front and center as you develop your goal. It prevents you from drifting into goals that sound good but don't actually connect to what matters to you.
Ready? Let's build this thing.
Option 1: SMART Goals (The Classic Framework, Decoded)
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Actionable and Achievable, Realistic and Relevant, and Timely. Yes, they crammed two things into some letters to make the acronym work. Let's break it down into language that's actually useful.
Specific: Say Exactly What You Mean
Vague goals fail because you never actually know what you're aiming for. "Be healthier" could mean anything. "Eat better" could mean anything. "Exercise more" could mean anything.
Specific goals tell you exactly what you're trying to achieve. They answer questions like: What exactly am I doing? How am I doing it? When am I doing it?
Measurable: Know When You're Making Progress
If you can't measure it, you can't track whether it's working. And if you can't track progress, you lose motivation fast.
How will you know you're moving forward? How will you know when you've achieved this goal? What are the concrete markers of success?
Actionable & Achievable: You Can Actually Do Something About It
Your goal needs to involve actions you can take. It also needs to be something that's actually within your control.
"Win the lottery" isn't achievable, it’s up to chance. "Buy a lottery ticket every week" is achievable, even though it's a terrible financial strategy.
Make sure your goal involves things you can directly do, not things you can only hope happen to you.
Realistic & Relevant: It Needs to Match Your Real Life
Your goal should be reachable given your current time, resources, and life circumstances. It also needs to directly connect to your why.
If your why is about spending more quality time with your kids, a goal that requires you to be away from home every evening isn't relevant, no matter how impressive it sounds.
Timely: Give Yourself a Deadline
Without a timeframe, there's no urgency. Without urgency, it's easy to tell yourself you'll start tomorrow. And tomorrow. And tomorrow.
A deadline creates structure. It helps you work backward to create steps. It prevents indefinite procrastination.
SMART Goals in Action
Let's look at the difference between vague goals and SMART goals:
Vague: "Move more" SMART: "I will take 20-minute walks four days a week for the next three months."
Vague: "Drink more water" SMART: "I will drink half my body weight in ounces of water every day for the next three months."
See the difference? The SMART versions tell you exactly what to do, when to do it, how much to do, and for how long. There's no ambiguity. You know whether you did it or you didn't.
Option 2: WOOP (For People Who Think Differently)
WOOP stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, and Plan. This framework, developed by psychologist Gabriele Oettingen, is less about making your goal specific and more about mentally contrasting your desired future with the obstacles in your way and then creating an if-then plan.
Some people find this more intuitive than SMART. Let's break it down.
Wish: What Do You Want?
Think about your one dearest wish that you'd like to fulfill over the next few months. It should be challenging but possible. If you've done your why work, you probably already have this. Your wish is your goal.
State it clearly.
Outcome: What's the Best Thing That Could Happen?
What's the best outcome you associate with fulfilling your wish? How will it make you feel? What would be the absolute best thing about achieving this?
Really visualize this. Imagine it in vivid detail. Feel what it would feel like.
Then summarize this outcome in three to six words.
Example: "Energized and proud of myself."
Obstacle: What's Actually In Your Way?
Here's where WOOP gets real. What's holding you back from achieving your wish? What is or could get in the way?
Don't just list external obstacles like "I don't have time." Dig deeper. What behaviors of yours get in the way? What emotions sabotage you? What patterns keep repeating?
Really interrogate yourself on this. Get to your main inner obstacle.
Summarize that obstacle in three to six words.
Example: "Feel too tired after work."
Plan: How Will You Overcome the Obstacle?
Identify one specific action you can take or thought you can think when that obstacle shows up.
Summarize that action or thought in three to six words.
Example: "Exercise first thing in morning."
Create Your If-Then Statement
Now combine your obstacle and your plan into one if-then statement:
If [obstacle], then I will [plan].
Complete example:
Wish: Be more physically active so I feel more energized
Outcome: Energized and proud of myself
Obstacle: Feel too tired after work
Plan: Exercise first thing in morning
If-Then: If I feel too tired to exercise after work, then I will wake up 30 minutes earlier and exercise in the morning before my day starts.
Or here's another example:
Wish: Be more physically active
Outcome: Feel energized and strong
Obstacle: Find exercising boring
Plan: Bike while watching favorite show
If-Then: If I feel bored and don't want to work out, then I will use my mini desk cycle while watching a show I enjoy.
The power of WOOP is that it forces you to identify what will get in your way before it gets in your way and then create a specific plan for handling it. You're not hoping you'll magically have more willpower next time. You're engineering a workaround.
One More Thing: State Your Goal Positively
This applies to both frameworks.
We tend to focus on what we don't want. "I want to stop eating junk food." "I want to quit procrastinating." "I want to stop being so tired all the time."
Flip it. What do you want instead?
Instead of "stop eating junk food": "eat three servings of vegetables every day"
Instead of "quit procrastinating": "work on my project for 25 minutes every morning"
Instead of "stop being tired": "get 7-8 hours of sleep per night"
Positive goals give you something to move toward rather than something to avoid. Your brain responds better to approach goals than avoidance goals.
Your Goal Is Ready
You now have a concrete, specific goal that connects to your why and fits your life. You've either used SMART to make it specific and measurable, or you've used WOOP to identify your obstacles and create an if-then plan.
Write this goal down. Put it somewhere visible. Make it unavoidable.
In the next post, we'll talk about how to set up your environment and habits to support this goal. Because having a great goal isn't enough, you need systems that make following through as easy as possible.
Your motivation will fade. Your systems are what will carry you through.
This is Part 3 of a 5-part series on setting meaningful goals. Continue to learn how to build habits that support your success.