Forget SMART Goals — Try This Goal-Setting Framework Instead

The Problem With SMART Goals

SMART goals are entirely outcome-focused. Outcomes are not fully within your control. When the outcome does not materialise on schedule, people do not adjust their approach — they abandon it entirely. SMART goals tell you where to go without telling you how to get there.

Identity-Based Goals: A Better Starting Point

Instead of "I want to lose 20 pounds" (outcome-based), try "I want to become someone who takes care of their body" (identity-based). Every action that aligns with that identity feels like success. Over time, the votes accumulate and the identity solidifies. Instead of asking "What do I want to achieve?" start by asking "Who do I want to become?"

Systems Over Goals

A goal is a one-time event. A system is a repeating process. The people who achieve ambitious outcomes are the ones who build a system of daily actions and then trust the process. If you write 500 words every day, you will have a book draft in six months. The goal did not produce the book. The system did.

Process Metrics vs Outcome Metrics

• Daily: Track process metrics only. Did you do the work today?
• Weekly: Review both process and outcome metrics. Are the actions producing results?
• Monthly/Quarterly: Evaluate outcomes against targets. Adjust the system if needed.

The Weekly Review

Every week, answer four questions: What did I accomplish this week? What did I learn? What needs to change? What are my top three priorities for next week? The weekly review is where you catch problems early and where your system evolves from something designed on day one into something refined by real-world data.

Start With the System

Goals are useful for setting direction. But direction without a vehicle gets you nowhere. The system is the vehicle. Build it first. Keep it simple. Track the process. Review weekly. Adjust based on data, not emotion.