# Free SMART Goal Setting Worksheet | Printable Goal Planning Template

> Source: https://positivity.org/habits/goal-setting-worksheet-smart-goals

![](https://positivity.org/media/2026/08/1774354803224-pexels-fauxels-3184418-9f7e34e1.webp)

**Quick Answer:** This printable SMART goals worksheet walks you through defining Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals. It includes sections for breaking goals into milestones, identifying obstacles, and tracking weekly progress — helping you turn vague aspirations into actionable plans.

# SMART Goal Setting Worksheet

Goal setting is one of the most extensively researched topics in organizational and positive psychology. Dr. Edwin Locke and Dr. Gary Latham's goal-setting theory, developed over 35 years of empirical research and published in *A Theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance* (1990), demonstrates that specific and challenging goals lead to higher performance 90% of the time compared to vague "do your best" goals.

The SMART framework — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound — gives you a structured way to transform wishes into workable plans. Research published in the *British Journal of Health Psychology* (2002) found that people who wrote down when, where, and how they would accomplish their goals were 91% more likely to follow through compared to those who simply set the intention.

## Step 1: Define Your Goal

**What do I want to achieve? (Write your goal in one sentence)**

**Why is this goal important to me? (Connect it to your values)**

## Step 2: Make It SMART

**S — Specific: What exactly will I accomplish?**

**Who is involved? Where will it happen?**

**M — Measurable: How will I know when I've achieved it?**

**What metrics or milestones will I track?**

**A — Achievable: Is this goal realistic given my current resources?**

**What skills or resources do I need to develop?**

**R — Relevant: How does this goal align with my larger life vision?**

**Is now the right time for this goal?**

**T — Time-bound: What is my deadline?**

**Why this timeframe?**

## Step 3: Rewrite Your SMART Goal

**My SMART goal statement:**

## Step 4: Break It Down Into Milestones

Research by Dr. Teresa Amabile at Harvard Business School, published in *The Progress Principle* (2011), shows that tracking small wins creates a positive feedback loop that fuels motivation. Break your goal into 3-5 milestones.

**Milestone 1:** 

**Target date:** 

**How I'll celebrate:** 

**Milestone 2:** 

**Target date:** 

**How I'll celebrate:** 

**Milestone 3:** 

**Target date:** 

**How I'll celebrate:** 

**Milestone 4:** 

**Target date:** 

**How I'll celebrate:** 

## Step 5: Identify Obstacles and Solutions

Mental contrasting — a technique developed by Dr. Gabriele Oettingen at NYU — involves imagining your desired future and then identifying the obstacles standing in your way. Her WOOP method (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan), validated in studies published in the *European Review of Social Psychology* (2012), significantly increases goal attainment.

**Potential obstacle #1:** 

**My plan to overcome it:** 

**Potential obstacle #2:** 

**My plan to overcome it:** 

**Potential obstacle #3:** 

**My plan to overcome it:** 

## Step 6: Support System

**Who can support me in this goal?**

**What specific help will I ask for?**

## Step 7: Weekly Progress Tracker

Use this section to review your progress each week. Research shows that weekly review increases goal completion rates by 42% (Matthews, 2015, Dominican University of California).

**Week: ______**

On track Needs adjustment Behind schedule

**What I accomplished this week:**

**What I'll focus on next week:**

**Motivation level (1-10):** _____

### Tips for Effective Goal Setting

- Write it down. Dr. Gail Matthews' 2015 study found that people who wrote down their goals were 42% more likely to achieve them.

- Share it. Telling someone about your goal creates accountability. The same study found that sending weekly progress reports to a friend increased achievement rates to 76%.

- Be flexible. Goals aren't set in stone. Adjust your approach while keeping the destination in mind.

- Focus on systems, not just outcomes. James Clear's research on habit formation shows that building daily systems is more sustainable than fixating on end results.

- Practice self-compassion when you slip. Dr. Kristin Neff's research shows that self-compassion after setbacks actually increases motivation to try again.

*Print this worksheet for each major goal you set. Review your goals weekly and adjust as needed. Remember: the act of thoughtfully planning your goals is itself a powerful step toward achieving them.*

**Explore Related Topics** [Take the Positivity Quiz](https://positivity.org/tools/positivity-quiz)[More in Habits](https://positivity.org/habits)

Share this article 

[𝕏](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpositivity.org%2Fhabits%2Fgoal-setting-worksheet-smart-goals&text=Free%20SMART%20Goal%20Setting%20Worksheet%20%7C%20Printable%20Goal%20Planning%20Template)
[f](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fpositivity.org%2Fhabits%2Fgoal-setting-worksheet-smart-goals)
[in](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpositivity.org%2Fhabits%2Fgoal-setting-worksheet-smart-goals&title=Free%20SMART%20Goal%20Setting%20Worksheet%20%7C%20Printable%20Goal%20Planning%20Template)
[P](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpositivity.org%2Fhabits%2Fgoal-setting-worksheet-smart-goals&description=Free%20SMART%20Goal%20Setting%20Worksheet%20%7C%20Printable%20Goal%20Planning%20Template)
[✉](https://positivity.org/mailto:?subject=Free%20SMART%20Goal%20Setting%20Worksheet%20%7C%20Printable%20Goal%20Planning%20Template&body=https%3A%2F%2Fpositivity.org%2Fhabits%2Fgoal-setting-worksheet-smart-goals)

### Stay Inspired

Get a daily dose of positivity delivered to your inbox.

### Discover More on Positivity

[☀️What Is Positivity?](https://positivity.org/positivity)[✨Affirmations](https://positivity.org/affirmations)[💬Quotes](https://positivity.org/quotes)[🧘Meditations](https://positivity.org/meditations)[📖Psychology](https://positivity.org/psychology)[🛠️Tools](https://positivity.org/tools)[🌅Today's Inspiration](https://positivity.org/today)