Get S.M.A.R.T. About Goals
Set up for success
Do you want to get started on a new diabetes-related health goal or try again with a goal you haven’t been able to meet before? It’s common to have an idea of where you want to go but be unsure about how to get there.
Setting achievable goals is a skill, which means you can learn how.
This activity is designed to help you:
- Break a big goal into small steps
- Map out what you plan to do
- Use rewards to boost your motivation
Follow these small steps, and you’ll have a plan to print at the end.
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Your answers are private.
We will not save this information or give it to your doctor, family members, or anyone else. Your responses will only be used in this section to help you start thinking about your health goals. You will be able to print out your responses at the end of the activity. |
Keys to success
Behavior experts have found that people are much more likely to move forward with a goal if two things are true:
1) They know exactly what to do next.
2) They’re confident that they can do it.
We tend to delay healthy changes when we’re not sure how to get started or when the overall task seems too overwhelming.
Nobody meets a goal like “graduate from high school” all at once. It’s a
day-by-day
process of attending classes, doing homework, and studying for exams – one step
at a time. The same is true for other goals, like losing weight or improving your blood sugar control.
Pick a goal
The first step of any good plan is figuring out what you want or need to do.
What goal would you like to work on to take better care of your diabetes?
*Always talk to your health care provider if you have questions about your treatment plan, or if you don't know what you could be doing to achieve better blood sugar control.
Enter a goal:
Or choose from these:
Lower my A1C
Eat healthy
Test my blood sugar regularly
Take my medication as prescribed
Start or continue insulin
Count carbs
Be more active
Manage stress
Visit my doctor regularly
Lose weight
Add >
< Remove
Your responses will only be used in this section to help you start thinking about your health goals. You will be able to print out your responses at the end of the activity.
Check your feelings
It's important to know how you feel about any goal. Research has shown that the way you feel about your goal can mean the difference between intending to change and actually changing. Both positive and negative feelings are normal, but it’s best to start with a goal that you already have some positive feelings about. Do you feel any of these things when you think about the goal you chose?
- Hopeful
- Excited
- Confident
- Determined
- Optimistic
- Motivated
If so, keep going.
If not, you can hit the BACK button and try a different goal that you feel more positive about. You can get back to your original goal later, when you feel more positive about succeeding.
What is a S.M.A.R.T. goal?
S.M.A.R.T. stands for a goal-setting strategy that helps you focus on defining exactly what you’re trying to do.
Your S.M.A.R.T. goal should be:
- S - Specific
- M - Measurable
- A - Achievable
- R - Realistic
- T - Timed
We’ll walk you through step-by-step to make your goal S.M.A.R.T.
Tip Guide:
There are lots of different types of goals.
If any step of this exercise is too confusing to figure out for your goal, it’s okay to skip it.
Any steps you take can help.
'S' for specific
Your goal should say exactly what you’re going to do so that it will be easy to follow, like an instruction manual. Often people set big, vague goals that are too hard to achieve. But it’s more effective to take one small, specific step at a time. It should also be easy to tell someone else what you’re planning to do. Specific details may include:
- What exactly will you do?
- When will you do it?
- Where will you do it?
Your responses will only be used in this section to help you start thinking about your health goals. You will be able to print out your responses at the end of the activity
'M' for measurable
Making goals “measurable” means spelling them out so clearly that it’s easy to figure out when you’ve met the goal. This lets you feel a sense of accomplishment and track your progress. How will you know your goal has been met?
Think about:
- How much of something will you do?
- How long will you do it for?
- How often will you do it?
If it isn't measurable already, add to your goal now to make it measurable:
[Readout of user’s earlier answer will appear.]
I will (specific goal), (when) at/from (where)
Your responses will only be used in this section to help you start thinking about your health goals. You will be able to print out your responses at the end of the activity
'A' for achievable
The best goals are usually not too easy and not too difficult. The goal has to be big enough to feel interesting and worthwhile, but small enough to feel doable.
Planning small goals and achieving them one step at a time will help you experience success and build momentum. Have you ever tried to meet a goal and ended up discouraged when it didn’t work out? This helps you do the opposite: succeed at something small first so that you gain confidence to keep going.
Think about your goal. What are the chances you will succeed at this, right now? Try rating your confidence on a scale of 1 to 10. If your number is less than 7 or 8, you may want to revise your goal to make it more achievable.
Your responses will only be used in this section to help you start thinking about your health goals. You will be able to print out your responses at the end of the activity
'R' for realistic
Picking a realistic goal means looking at where you are right now. If you haven’t exercised at all in the last 6 months, it’s probably not realistic to start with a 3 mile walk. If you don’t like blueberries, it’s probably not realistic to plan to eat them every day, no matter how healthy they are.
When deciding if your goal is realistic, think about whether you have the things you need:
- information
- ability
- skills
- resources
- help
Your responses will only be used in this section to help you start thinking about your health goals. You will be able to print out your responses at the end of the activity
'T' for timed
Often we spend time putting off or dreading tasks that don't actually take very long. If you set a deadline, you’ll know even tougher tasks will be over soon. You can also try telling someone else about your goal and deadline so that they can support you and cheer you on.
With a deadline you can:
- set aside time to make it a priority
- know for sure when you achieve it
- achieve it, feel good about it, and move on
Your responses will only be used in this section to help you start thinking about your health goals. You will be able to print out your responses at the end of the activity
S.M.A.R.T. recap
Always check your goals to make sure they are:
- S - Specific
- M - Measurable
- A - Achievable
- R - Realistic
- T - Timed
Next, we’ll talk rewards! When you’ve put the effort into meeting a goal, it helps to stop and notice your accomplishment. Rewards can help your motivation.
How we work
Whether it’s trying to earn bonus points in a video game, putting the last piece into a jigsaw puzzle, or looking forward to dinner with friends at the end of a long day, we push harder when we focus on rewards. That’s how our brains work.
When you’re starting out with a new goal, it can be helpful to give yourself a small reward each time you meet that goal. This increases the chances that you’ll repeat that healthy behavior in the future.
Choose your reward
Your goal:
I will (specific goal), (when) at/from (where)
I will (specific goal) , (how long) (how much) (how often)
If your goal describes a single action – like “Set up a doctor’s appointment” – then you should reward yourself after you accomplish that goal.
If your goal describes a group of behaviors, like “Walk for 20 minutes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings” – give yourself a small reward after each walk.
Pick a reward, remembering that it should fit into a healthy lifestyle and your budget. If you need ideas, check out the list of examples.
Or choose from these:
Watch favorite show
Play a game
Do my hobby
Read a chapter
Listen to music
Watch sports
Call a friend
Light a candle
Take a bath
Explore online
Visit my favorite spot
Have a friend over
Take a drive
Buy a magazine
Take a nap
Buy fresh flowers
Watch a movie
Add >
< Remove
Your responses will only be used in this section to help you start thinking about your health goals. You will be able to print out your responses at the end of the activity
B.R.A.V.E. rewards
You're brave to make healthy changes. Change takes effort and it is important to reward yourself for what you’ve accomplished.
Your B.R.A.V.E. reward should be:
- B - Big enough (match the effort you put in)
- R - Realistic (affordable and possible)
- A - Available (happens soon after goal is met)
- V - Valuable or meaningful (makes you feel good)
- E - Exact enough (who, what, when, where)
If your reward isn’t already B.R.A.V.E., edit it now:
Your responses will only be used in this section to help you start thinking about your health goals. You will be able to print out your responses at the end of the activity
S.M.A.R.T. and B.R.A.V.E.
Congratulations! You fine-tuned a goal and planned an effective reward. For best results, monitor your progress over the next few days or the next week. If your system is working well, that’s great. If it isn’t, come back and think through any challenges. Your original goal and reward may need a little adjustment.
Your S.M.A.R.T. Goal:
Your B.R.A.V.E. Reward: [Readout of user’s answer.]
Remember, give yourself the reward only after you meet the goal!
You can also print out your plan.
Before you go
Use this exercise to set as many goals as you like, but remember that it’s usually easiest to focus on one or two changes at a time. Trying too much at once can actually work against you and lead to feeling overwhelmed.
As you meet your goals and get your rewards, you may find that you have more energy and positive feelings when you think about your health. You may feel an increased sense of control and less stress.
If you have trouble reaching a goal, try boosting your motivation by reviewing Find My Motivation and Explore My Emotions. Or try asking people you know who have been successful at meeting similar goals. They may have some helpful ideas.
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Important Safety Information About Insulin
The most common side effect of insulin is low blood sugar. Some people may experience
symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision, while some
experience no symptoms at all. That’s why it’s important to check your blood sugar
often.