SMART Goal Setting Worksheet

Use this worksheet to craft a clear, actionable SMART goal. Fill in each section fully before writing your final goal statement.

1. Specific

What exactly do you want to accomplish? Who is involved? Where will this happen? Why is this goal important?

2. Measurable

How will you know when you’ve achieved your goal? What evidence will show your progress (e.g., numbers, dates, checkpoints)?

3. Achievable

What steps will you take to reach this goal? What resources or support do you need? Are there potential obstacles and how will you address them?

4. Relevant

Why does this goal matter to you right now? How does it connect to your personal or academic priorities?

5. Time-bound

What is your deadline? When will you start, and what are the interim milestones or check-in dates?

Final SMART Goal Statement

Combine all elements into one concise statement. Use the template below or write your own:

"My goal is to _________________________________________________________________ by _________________. I will measure progress by ___________________________________________________, complete steps including ________________________________________________, and overcome obstacles such as ________________ with support from ________________."

Strengths Inventory Activity

Let's think about what you are good at! Read through the lists below. Circle or highlight the things that you feel strong in. You can also add your own ideas!

Example Strengths Wheel Graphic Description

Imagine a circle divided into wedges, like a pizza. Each wedge represents a different category of strengths. Your strengths are listed within each wedge.

• Center: "My Super Strengths!"
• Wedge 1: Academic Strengths (e.g., Critical Thinking, Curiosity, Organization, Resilience in Learning, Creativity, Collaboration, Research, Communication)
• Wedge 2: Social Strengths (e.g., Empathy, Leadership, Adaptability, Kindness, Humor, Listening, Conflict Resolution, Self-Control)
• Wedge 3: Personal Strengths (e.g., Perseverance, Self-Discipline, Optimism, Honesty, Resourcefulness, Initiative, Problem-Solving, Patience)
• Wedge 4: Hobby & Talent Strengths (e.g., Teamwork, Dedication, Artistic Skills, Technical Aptitude, Physical Prowess, Mentorship, Craftsmanship, Innovation)

Arrows might connect the center to each wedge, showing how your overall "super strengths" are made up of these different areas. You would fill in specific examples from your own life in each section.

School Strengths

• Thinking Deeply: You are good at looking closely at information and solving tricky problems.
• Asking Questions: You love to learn and always want to know more.
• Staying Organized: You keep your schoolwork and supplies neat and tidy.
• Never Giving Up: You keep trying even when schoolwork is hard.
• Creative Ideas: You like to come up with new and different ways to do things.
• Working with Others: You are good at being part of a team in class projects.
• Finding Information: You are good at looking up facts and understanding them.
• Sharing Ideas: You can clearly tell others what you think and write well.

Other school strengths:

Life & Friend Strengths

• Understanding Others: You can understand how friends and family are feeling.
• Leading the Way: You are good at guiding a group and helping everyone do their best.
• Bouncing Back: When things are tough, you get back up and try again.
• Being Kind: You are naturally nice and caring to people.
• Making People Laugh: You have a good sense of humor and can cheer people up.
• Good Listener: You pay attention and understand what others are saying.
• Fixing Problems: You are good at finding ways to solve everyday issues.
• Self-Control: You can manage your feelings and actions.

Other life/friend strengths:

Fun & Hobby Strengths

• Team Player: You work really well with others in sports, clubs, or games.
• Sticking With It: You are dedicated and practice a lot for your hobbies.
• Art & Music Skills: You are good at drawing, singing, playing instruments, or acting.
• Tech Savvy: You are good with computers, tools, or other equipment.
• Strong & Agile: You are good at sports or other physical activities.
• Helping Others Learn: You enjoy teaching or helping younger students.
• Making Things: You are good at building or creating things with your hands.

Other fun/hobby strengths:

Time to Reflect!

Look at all the strengths you picked. Which two or three are your super strengths—the ones you use the most? How do you use these strengths every day?

Weekly Goal Tracker Chart

Use this chart each week to record your tasks, set deadlines, track progress, and reflect on next steps.

Week of: ____________________________

Weekly Reflection

1. Which task did you complete most successfully? Why?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. What challenges did you face this week?
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. What will you do differently next week to improve your progress?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Reflection Journal Template

Use this journal at the end of each week’s session to think deeply about your goals, strategies, and growth. Answer each prompt thoughtfully.

Week of: ____________________________

1. Weekly Goals Review

What were your specific goal(s) for this week? Did you achieve them? Why or why not?

2. Action Steps Reflection

List the main actions you took toward your goal(s). Which action was most effective and why?

3. Challenges & Barriers

What obstacles did you face? How did these challenges affect your progress?

4. Strategy & Mindset

What strategies or mindset shifts (e.g., growth mindset, planning) helped you overcome barriers?

5. Accountability Partner Feedback

What feedback or support did your partner provide? How did that influence your work?

6. Emotional Check-In

How did you feel this week—motivated, frustrated, proud? What triggered those feelings?

7. Key Learning & Insight

What is one important lesson you learned about yourself or goal setting this week?

8. Next Week’s Plan

Based on this reflection, what specific steps or adjustments will you make for next week?

Keep your journal handy each week to track your growth over time!

Accountability Partner Cards

Use these cards during partner check-ins to guide your conversations, give and receive feedback, and stay on track with your goals. Each partner takes turns drawing a card and asking their partner the questions. Switch roles after each card.

Card 1: Progress Check

1. What progress did you make on your tasks since our last check-in?

1. What was your biggest success?

Card 2: Obstacle Exploration

1. What challenges or barriers did you face?

1. How did you respond to these challenges?

Card 3: Strategy Brainstorm

1. Which strategy helped you the most this week?

1. What new strategy or approach could you try next?

Card 4: Goal Adjustment

1. Does your goal or action plan need any adjustments? Why or why not?

1. What new action steps will you set?

Card 5: Encouragement & Feedback

1. What’s one thing I can do to support you?

1. Share one positive thing I noticed about your effort.

Card 6: Next Steps & Commitment

1. What is one specific action you will commit to before our next meeting?

1. When will you complete it?

Progress Monitoring Dashboard

Use this dashboard to visualize and track each student’s SMART goal progress over the 8-week program. You can create this in a spreadsheet (e.g., Google Sheets or Excel).

1. Dashboard Layout

2. Weekly Updates

• % Complete – Calculate as (completed tasks ÷ total tasks) × 100.
• Last Updated – Date you entered the latest progress.
• Notes/Comments – Quick reflections on successes, barriers, or next steps.

3. Visual Elements

• Insert a bar chart or progress bars for each student’s % Complete.
• Use conditional formatting or color coding:
  • Green (75–100%): On track
  • Yellow (50–74%): At risk
  • Red (0–49%): Needs intervention

4. How to Use

1. Set Up the columns as shown and enter each student’s goal details in Week 1.
2. Update Weekly after reviewing the Weekly Goal Tracker Chart in sessions 4–6.
3. Analyze Trends going into Week 7 to identify who needs extra peer or teacher support.
4. Celebrate & Share the live dashboard with the group in Week 8 to highlight growth and set new targets.

Pro Tip: Share a live link with students so they can monitor classwide progress and stay motivated.

Goal Grab Game Board

Instructions:

Print this board and use it with the Goal Grab Game. You can use small objects like erasers or coins as tokens.

Game Path (A Simple Linear Board)

START → SMART Question → Action Step → Opportunity Knocks! → Barrier Ahead! → SMART Question →
Action Step → Reflection Zone → Barrier Ahead! → Opportunity Knocks! → SMART Question →
Action Step → Barrier Ahead! → Opportunity Knocks! → Reflection Zone → SMART Question →
Action Step → GOAL ACHIEVED!

Card Piles

• Challenge Cards: Place the shuffled Goal Grab Challenge Cards here.
• Opportunity Cards: Place the shuffled Goal Grab Opportunity Cards here.

Goal Grab: The Action-Step Race!

Objective: To reinforce understanding and application of SMART goals, action planning, and strategies for overcoming obstacles in a fun, interactive game format.

Players: 2-4 per group

Time: 20-25 minutes

Materials:

• Printed Goal Grab Game Board (one per group)
• Player tokens (one per student)
• One die per group
• Printed and cut Goal Grab Challenge Cards (shuffle face down)
• Printed and cut Goal Grab Opportunity Cards (shuffle face down)
• Each student's SMART Goal Setting Worksheet (for reference)

How to Play

1. Setup:

   • Place the Goal Grab Game Board in the center.
   • Each student chooses a token and places it on the "START" space.
   • Shuffle the Challenge Cards and Opportunity Cards separately, placing them face down on their designated spots on the board.
   • Keep your SMART Goal Setting Worksheet handy for reference.

2. Taking Turns:

   • The youngest player goes first, then play proceeds clockwise.

   • On your turn, roll the die and move your token that many spaces along the path.

   • Follow the instructions on the space you land on:

   • "SMART Question" Space:

     • The player to your right asks you a question about SMART goals (e.g., "What does the 'A' in SMART stand for?").
     • If you answer correctly, stay on the space.
     • If incorrect, move back 1 space.

   • "Action Step" Space:

     • Name one specific action step you've taken or will take for your own personal or academic SMART goal.
     • If it's a clear, achievable step, stay on the space.
     • If it's too vague or not an action, move back 1 space (your partner can help you refine it).

   • "Barrier Ahead!" Space:

     • Draw one Goal Grab Challenge Card.
     • Read the card aloud and follow its instruction (e.g., "Lost motivation for a day! Miss your next turn.").
     • Discuss briefly with your group how you might overcome this barrier in real life.

   • "Opportunity Knocks!" Space:

     • Draw one Goal Grab Opportunity Card.
     • Read the card aloud and follow its instruction (e.g., "Found an unexpected resource! Move forward 2 spaces.").
     • Share how you could leverage this opportunity for your own goal.

   • "Reflection Zone" Space:

     • Share one personal strength (from your Strengths Inventory Activity) that will help you achieve your goal.
     • Stay on the space after sharing.

3. Winning the Game:

   • The first player to land exactly on the "GOAL ACHIEVED!" space wins! (If you roll too high, you stay on the previous space).

Sample Challenge Cards (Cut these out!)

• Card 1: "Procrastination strikes! You wasted an hour. Move back 1 space."
• Card 2: "Unexpected test this week! Your study time is cut. Miss your next turn."
• Card 3: "Feeling overwhelmed. Take a moment to breathe. No movement this turn."
• Card 4: "A friend needs help, and it takes up your goal time. Describe how you’d manage your time better next time."
• Card 5: "Technology troubles! Your computer crashes. Move back 2 spaces."

Sample Opportunity Cards (Cut these out!)

• Card 1: "Found a helpful mentor! Move forward 2 spaces."
• Card 2: "Completed a small task ahead of schedule! Move forward 1 space."
• Card 3: "Received encouraging feedback! Advance 1 space."
• Card 4: "Discovered a new, efficient study method! Move forward 2 spaces."
• Card 5: "Had a great accountability partner check-in! Advance 1 space."

Sample SMART Questions (Teacher reads from these)

• What does the "S" in SMART stand for? (Specific)
• Give an example of a "measurable" part of a goal.
• Why is it important for a goal to be "achievable"?
• How do you know if a goal is "relevant" to you?
• What does "time-bound" mean for a goal?
• Why is breaking a goal into smaller steps important?

Goal Grab Challenge Cards

Instructions: Cut out these cards. When instructed during the Goal Grab Game, draw one card and follow its instruction. Discuss briefly how you might overcome this barrier in real life.

Challenge Card 1:

Procrastination Strikes!
You put off a key task.
Action: Move back 1 space on the game board.

Challenge Card 2:

Unexpected Distraction!
Something fun came up and you lost focus.
Action: Miss your next turn.

Challenge Card 3:

Feeling Overwhelmed.
Your goal feels too big to tackle.
Action: No movement this turn. Take a moment to name one small step you could take.

Challenge Card 4:

Time Management Mix-Up!
You misjudged how long a task would take.
Action: Move back 1 space.

Challenge Card 5:

Lack of Resources.
You needed something you didn't have (e.g., a specific book, a quiet space).
Action: Miss your next turn while you plan how to get what you need.

Challenge Card 6:

Self-Doubt Creeps In.
You started thinking you couldn't do it.
Action: No movement this turn. Name one strength that can help you believe in yourself.

Goal Grab Opportunity Cards

Instructions: Cut out these cards. When instructed during the Goal Grab Game, draw one card and follow its instruction. Share how you could leverage this opportunity for your own goal.

Opportunity Card 1:

Found a Helping Hand!
A friend or teacher offered support.
Action: Move forward 2 spaces on the game board.

Opportunity Card 2:

Small Win!
You completed a task ahead of schedule.
Action: Move forward 1 space.

Opportunity Card 3:

Momentum Builds!
You felt a surge of motivation and productivity.
Action: Advance 1 space.

Opportunity Card 4:

New Strategy Discovered!
You learned a more efficient way to tackle a task.
Action: Move forward 2 spaces.

Opportunity Card 5:

Positive Feedback!
Someone recognized your effort and progress.
Action: Advance 1 space.

Opportunity Card 6:

Unexpected Free Time!
You suddenly have extra time to work on your goal.
Action: Move forward 3 spaces!