How do you adjust your SMART goals when faced with changing priorities or challenges?

1 Review your goals regularly

One of the key aspects of SMART goals is that they are time-bound, meaning that you have a clear deadline or frequency for achieving them. This also means that you need to review your progress and evaluate your results regularly, ideally on a weekly or monthly basis. Reviewing your goals allows you to see if you are on track, if you need to make any changes, or if you need to abandon or postpone some goals that are no longer relevant or feasible.

2 Prioritize your goals

Another important aspect of SMART goals is that they are relevant, meaning that they align with your values, vision, and purpose. However, sometimes you may have too many goals, or some goals may become more urgent or important than others due to external factors. In that case, you need to prioritize your goals and focus on the ones that have the most impact, value, or benefit for you and your stakeholders. You can use a simple matrix to rank your goals based on their urgency and importance, and then decide which ones to do, delegate, defer, or delete.

3 Adjust your scope or timeline

Sometimes, you may encounter unexpected obstacles, delays, or changes that affect your ability to achieve your SMART goals as planned. For example, you may face a health issue, a family emergency, a budget cut, a market shift, or a feedback loop. In that case, you need to adjust your scope or timeline to accommodate the new situation. You can either scale down your goal to make it more realistic and achievable, or extend your deadline to give yourself more time and resources. However, make sure that your goal is still specific, measurable, and relevant, and that you communicate your changes to anyone who is involved or affected by your goal.

4 Seek feedback and support

Another way to adjust your SMART goals is to seek feedback and support from others who can help you achieve them. Feedback can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, your opportunities and threats, and your gaps and needs. Support can help you overcome challenges, solve problems, learn new skills, or access new resources. You can seek feedback and support from various sources, such as mentors, coaches, peers, colleagues, friends, family, or online communities. However, make sure that you are open-minded, respectful, and appreciative of the feedback and support you receive, and that you use it to improve your performance and outcomes.

5 Celebrate your achievements

Finally, don't forget to celebrate your achievements, no matter how big or small, when you adjust your SMART goals. Celebrating your achievements can help you boost your motivation, confidence, and satisfaction, as well as acknowledge your efforts and progress. You can celebrate your achievements in different ways, such as rewarding yourself with something you enjoy, sharing your success with others who supported you, reflecting on your learning and growth, or setting new goals for the future.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?