Why SMART goals are dumb (sometimes)
(These are my personal opinions and do not represent the official stance of the psychological profession or the College of Alberta Psychologists) I like setting goals. I like writing them down. I like reviewing them with myself and others. I'm a therapist. I do it everyday. But since the 80's goal setting has been dominated by a framework designed in the business world, for the business world, that often misses the mark when it comes to authentic human progress. For the last 30 years we have been told to set SMART goals which are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound (the acronym varies slightly depending on whom you're asking but this is the gist). We are encouraged not to work on an objective unless it meets these criteria. I believe that this framework often misses the mark, especially at the organizational level. Let me first explain how this has looked in the fields of education and counselling as far as I can tell. Sometimes when it ...