4 Helpful Goal Setting Models
Researchers, psychologists, and business leaders have all tackled the topic of goal setting. Over the last few decades, a number of models have been developed to help individuals and teams create successful goals. Below I’ve outlined four of the most popular ones and how they work.
SMART Goal Setting Model
The SMART model is one of the most well-known and used models when it comes to goal setting. It first appeared in 1981 in an article in the Management review (Doran, 1981) and built nicely on the work previously carried out by Locke in the 1960s. It has proven highly successful in its use for both individual and group goal-setting.
Here’s what SMART stands for:
- Specific – Each goal must be specific and as clearly defined as possible. You can have multiple goals, but each one must be clear.
- Measurable – Each goal must also have clearly defined metrics for how it can be measured – either for progress or the end goal.
- Achievable – It can be easy to get carried away when setting goals, but a goal that is ultimately not achievable will deplete your motivation. Keep goals small and achievable. You can always build on and add to them later.
- Relevant – This is where putting some time in to plan your goals can pay off. There’s no point in pursuing a goal that doesn’t add to your core values or ultimate desires for your life. Make sure each goal is relevant to you.
- Time-Bound – This links nicely with the achievable step. Make sure you set yourself realistic deadlines for each goal and it’s required steps to keep you focused and motivated.
The SMART model has been widely accepted as the go-to model and I think that’s because it can be applied to simple and complex goals, work goals, personal goals, individual and group goals. It’s a highly adaptable model with a very clear structure that can be used with other planning and business tools to achieve large goals.
GROW Goal Setting Model
There are a few different claims to the authorship of the GROW model, but most agree that it was created by Business Coaches Graham Alexander, Alan Fine and Sir John Whitmore in the 1980s (Nguyen, 2018). Although developed together, the three went their separate ways soon after and each has continued to develop the model in their own ways (Fine, 2018) but the core of the model still remains the same.
GROW stands for:
- Goal – What do you want to do? What is your ultimate aim?
- Reality – Where are you now? What are some of the barriers preventing you from achieving your goal?
- Options – What could you do? What are the resources available to you? What changes can you make to your own behavior to overcome barriers?
- Will – What will you do? How can you start making changes or tapping into available resources to achieve your goal?
Working through the GROW model allows individuals to build their own self-awareness of:
- Current aspirations
- Current belief and values systems
- Current resources available to them
- The actions and effort required to achieve set goals
CLEAR Goal Setting Model
Kreek (2018) felt that the traditional SMART model for goal setting was too limiting and didn’t meet the needs of modern business environments, so Kreek created a new model. Kreek uses the acronym CLEAR for setting goals. This model has a focus on supporting teams at work to achieve business and organizational goals.
Here’s what CLEAR stands for:
- Collaborative – The desired goal needs to include a team or social element that drives everyone to contribute to success.
- Limited – There must be a set timeframe in which to achieve the goal, and the scope of the goal needs to be achievable within this timeframe.
- Emotional – Goals need to be connected to your core values, as an individual, and as a group. When emotion is attached to a goal, energy and passion become key in achieving it.
- Appreciable – While the end goal can be large, the steps in between need to be small. This way they are highly achievable and appreciation can be shared for their accomplishment.
- Refinable – Things change, sometimes unexpectedly. Your goal needs to have a strong objective but it also needs to be adaptable and fluid to meet new challenges, changes, and information as they arise.
This model takes into account how modern teams often want to focus on their core values (the Emotional step) and how to do this collaboratively, so it could be a great one to use at work or within study/research groups.
SPIRO Goal Setting Model
Pfeiffer and Jones (1972) created the SPIRO model but it was quickly superseded by the SMART model in the early 1980s. It’s still a very comprehensive model, but not one that is used as much today. The model was first published in ‘The 1972 Annual Handbook for Group Facilitators’ and was aimed at coaching or training facilitators helping individuals to set and achieve goals.
SPIRO stands for:
- Specificity – As with the other models, the first step is to get specific about your goal. Make sure it is clearly defined and understandable.
- Performance – From an individual and a coach/facilitator perspective, what are the measures of performance that indicate the individual is progressing towards their goal?
- Involvement – Again, both the individual and coach/facilitator can agree on what their specific involvement in achieving the goal might be. This could also include looking at what other resources might be needed.
- Realism – As well as ensuring the goal is realistic and manageable within the set timeframe, this is also about ensuring the goal is aligned with personal values and current lifestyle. For example, setting a goal of going to the gym every night when you have childcare issues, study commitments, and other life plans isn’t realistic. Committing to attending three nights a week might be.
- Observability – From an individual perspective, this step includes asking yourself ‘what does achieving the goal look like externally and feel internally?’. From a coach/facilitator perspective, this is checking what the achievement of the goal might look like externally to others.
It’s clear the SPIRO model would work well in different group facilitator or coaching paradigms, but it could also be nicely adapted for couples wanting to support and encourage each other with their goals.
Do Visualization and Meditation Help Goal Setting?
Both visualization and meditation have been proven to have a wonderful impact on our overall mood and sense of happiness and fulfillment (Meevissen, Peters, & Alberts, 2011, Peters, Flink, Boersma, & Linton, 2010).
Research has also begun to show that visualization can help to promote and improve goal-setting behaviors (Taylor et al, 1998). Some of the exercises explored earlier in the article, including ‘The Average Perfect Day’ and ‘One Year from Now’, all use visualization as a core component to aid goal setting.
These exercises help to improve goal-setting behavior by maintaining expectations of success, creating structured plans, and engaging our emotions in achieving our goals.
Emotions play a crucial role in goal setting. Research has shown that when we connect our goals to our values and attach them to emotional outcomes, we’re more motivated to succeed and feel positive about it in the process (Austenfeld, Paolo, & Stanton 2006).
Using mental imagery of what we want our future to look and feel like is also powerful in supporting goal setting. Oyserman, Bybee, and Terry (2006) found that asking participants to use mental imagery to envision their best possible future self-enhanced their motivation to identify the goals needed to create their vision in real life.
Meditation is a core component of visualization so it makes sense that it would also help aid goal setting. Meditation allows us to calm our thoughts and mind, and take stock of our current being and presence. It can be a useful tool when visualizing what you want your goals to look like, but equally beneficial when you might begin to feel overwhelmed.
Our goals can sometimes get the better of us, and if we’re not achieving them exactly as we think we should, the fear of failure can creep in. Meditation is a great way to prevent these negative thoughts creeping in and depleting our motivation. It can allow us to move forward with clarity (Chen, 2015).
3 Training Games & Exercises for Goal Setting Workshops
Holding a goal-setting workshop can be really valuable. Whether your team manager, teaching a class or working with a group of peers towards a shared goal, a goal-setting workshop can help make sure you tackle the matter productively.
Below are three games and exercises that have been purposefully created for a goal-setting workshop:
1. The ‘Mine Field Goal Obstacles’ game
This is a fun game to use for goal setting with students, or if you want to get more active within your goal setting workshop. It has a focus on communication and trust within a group setting in achieving the desired goal. It requires a bit of preparation but can be a rewarding activity.
You will need:
- Objects and space to create an obstacle course (be as creative and challenging as you like)
- A blindfold
- A timer
- Pen and paper
How to play:
Step One: You’ll need to create an obstacle course. You can do this outside with basic gym equipment, or inside with office equipment (desks, chairs). The idea is to create a maze or course with obstacles through which participants will need to navigate.
Step Two: Divide your group into pairs or small groups. Within the group, they must decide on how quickly they want to complete the obstacle course. These times can be written up visually and you can create a little competition by challenging the teams to beat each other.
Step Three: One participant from each team is blindfolded. With the verbal queues from their other teammates, they need to try and navigate the obstacle within the time goal they have set.
Step Four: Allow each participant an attempt at beating their time goal, until you have an overall winner.
Purpose of the game:
While fun, this game allows participants to reflect on the different aspects that go into achieving a goal. By creating a timeframe, the group should put in the required effort to achieve this, and use the resources (each other) to do this successfully. Once you’ve finished playing the game, each participant can then reflect on one goal they have and identify the obstacles that may get in the way and the resources around them to help support them.
2. The ‘One, Some, Many’ goal sharing team game
This is a particularly good activity for a goal-setting workshop, as it allows participants time to focus on their own goals and come together to discuss group goals. It can help teams reflect on where there are overlaps in the goals they want to achieve, and how to work collaboratively on them.
You will need:
- Selection of pens/markers
- A3 paper and a flip chart board or whiteboard you can write on
- Post-it notes
How to play:
Step One: Focus on the ‘ONE’ part of the activity title. Each participant has a selection of post-it notes and the opportunity to write out their individual goals. Aim for 1-3 goals per person. These can be small goals or long term, but keep them concise when writing them down.
Step Two: Focus on the ‘SOME’ part of the activity title. Participants get into pairs or small groups of three and share the individual goals they have written down. If there are some that are the same, they can combine these to make one shared goal. Ask each group to identify other overlaps and similarities.
Step Three: Now focus on the ‘MANY’ part of the activity title. Using a large piece of paper or whiteboard, ask each team to come and place their post-it notes on the board. This activity should take the longest as participants will need to identify other similarities and overlaps and combine goals. The group can discuss as a whole which goals are the most common and identify how to work on these collaboratively.
Purpose of the game:
This can be a strong team exercise as it demonstrates very clearly and visually how much everyone can be on the same page. There will be goals that aren’t shared and these can be discussed proactively, but the purpose of the game is to identify common group goals and devise a way of achieving them together.
3. Vision Boards Collage Exercise
This exercise can be a lot of fun, while also encouraging group engagement. Vision boards are a great way to create a physical representation of goals and ideas.
You will need:
- Selection of art materials including pens and pencils
- Selection of old magazines, books or newspapers that can be cut up
- Scissors and glue for all participants
- Paper, cardboard or other material for sticking on
How to play:
Step One: Begin by asking each participant to practice a simple visualization exercise. Ask them to focus on one goal they would like to achieve and build a visual idea in their mind of what achieving that goal will look and feel like for them. Focus on the mental images that come to mind, and any feelings they anticipate on success.
Step Two: With these images in mind, participants can then look through the old magazines, books or newspapers to collect images, words and visual representations of what their visualization could look like. They can collect as many images as they like.
Step Three: The fun part! Participants can now start creating their boards. A vision board is a very personal thing so encourage participants to create something that represents them and their goal – there is no wrong or right way to do this. The final images they chose should all make them feel and remember their visualization of their goal.
There needs to be a strong emotional connection to the board to help remind and motivate them what they’re trying to achieve. In the end, each participant can share their board with the group if they would like to.
Purpose of the exercise:
This exercise is a fun way to build a physical representation of the desired goal. By starting with a visualization activity, participants can create something they feel connected to, that will help to motivate them when they need it.
3 Goal Setting Exercises for Couples
Creating shared goals as a couple can be a great way to feel more connected, and secure in your relationship knowing you’re both striving equally towards the same things.
Having clear conversations about what it is you both want to achieve in life and how you can do that together is at the heart of goal setting as a couple, and there are some great exercises alongside the ones already mentioned you can use.
1. The FIRE Drill Exercise
The FIRE Drill exercise is a great one for couples as it allows each partner to reflect on what they want as an individual, their role in the relationship, and what they need from their partner. It allows couples to come together and discuss this without judgment. It is built on one core concept:
You can’t build a healthy relationship if you only focus on fixing what you think is wrong.
Essentially, you have to give the good and the bad in the relationship equal attention and devotion, as individuals and as a couple coming together. FIRE stands for:
- Focus: What do you want to achieve?
- Integrity: How are you showing up in the relationship? Are you who you want to be?
- Reflection: What causes you distress in the relationship? What makes you feel content?
- Encouragement: How do you need to be supported?
Each person works through the exercise as an individual first, thinking about their goals and ideas. Then work through the exercise again thinking first about what you need from your partner, and then what you can give/bring to the relationship. As a couple, share your answers with openness and curiosity. This can help you build better communication and clarity over your individual goals and shared goals.
2. Short Term vs Long Term Goals Exercise
For this exercise, it’s good to know what your long-term goals are. Once you’ve got one or two clearly defined and measurable long-term goals that serve you as a couple, it’s time to break those down into short term goals.
Step One: Work together as a couple to create a list of every small step (or short-term goal) needed to achieve the bigger long term goal. Again, be clear and define each step.
Step Two: Next, review each of the steps you have identified. Start to think about how long each of those steps might take and create a timeline for achieving them.
Step Three: Once you’ve done that, it’s time to think about who will be responsible for ensuring they are achieved. You can assign one partner, or make it a joint responsibility. The idea here is to ensure there is clear and agreed upon accountability for achieving the short-term goals.
Write this up or create a vision board you can keep somewhere visible in the house. As each small step is achieved, tick it off or cross it off the list. You’ll quickly see that you’re both working towards your long-term goals, together.
3. The ‘Less is More’ Exercise
This exercise can help you create more defined goals as individuals within the relationship and as a couple. The idea is to think more about your needs or desires and use these to help you decide on some goals.
Step One: As individuals, write up five things that you want less of within the relationship. These could be anything. For example, you might want less debt, less time working in the evenings, fewer takeaways: anything at all that you think might help to improve your life as an individual.
Step Two: Next, again as individuals, write up five things that you want more of within the relationship. You can keep these a mix of fun or serious things like more sex, more holidays, more time relaxing, more time with friends. Keep a focus on things that you think would help bring you closer as a couple but also add value as individuals.
Step Three: Compare your lists with each other. Really reflect and think about what you have both written down, how you think they could be achieved and how you can support each other to do that. Where are there overlaps? Are there any big surprises? What are the areas you have in common and how can you work on these together?
Step Four: Pick one or two that you want to work on as a priority and set a SMART goal for how you will achieve it.
Remember to keep a defined time frame in mind and review the SMART process you create to keep you on track.
What is Group Goal Setting?
Group goal setting is where a group or team of people come together to agree on a set goal that will benefit them as a group or the wider community that they exist and interacts within. Some examples of groups who might set goals include sports teams, research teams, study groups, work colleagues on a set project or objective, a school class working on a fundraising goal or a community group.
Setting a group goal first requires listening to individual interests and priorities, within the group or from the wider community the group is seeking to serve, and then establishing set and shared actions to help the group achieve the desired end goal.
Creating group goals can be very empowering and motivating. Achieving big changes or results is easier with a strong group of individuals working towards a shared aim, especially when there is shared vision and investment in doing so, just think about sports team who go on to win competitions (Schmoll, 2013).
Creating a Goal Setting Workshop Outline
As you can probably imagine, when it comes to running a goal-setting workshop, it’s very easy to go off track! Once everyone starts thinking more deeply about their goals, it can be difficult to keep everyone on the same page as you go through the workshop.
This is where a workshop outline can come in handy. An outline helps to set a clear structure for the session, alongside any potential learning outcomes or ‘take-aways’ you want participants to have. You can also add time limits for each section, exercise or activity and set a clear plan at the start for everyone to adhere to.
When creating a goal-setting workshop outline, there are a few things to consider:
- How long will the overall workshop be?
- How many activities can you reasonably fit into that timeframe, ensuring they are completed effectively and with value?
- How many participants will be attending your workshop? What are the minimum and maximum numbers required for any activities you want to include?
- What resources do you need for each activity?
- Will you be using one overall goal-setting model or introducing a few different ones? How will your activities need to be adapted to this?
- What are the key learning outcomes/ takeaways participants should leave with? Keep this to a maximum of 3-5 and make sure they are well defined and measurable.
When creating your outline, it’s also important to consider where the workshop will be taking place and the physical space you’ll have to work with. Will you need a board for writing notes on or a computer to show digital presentation slides, videos or images? Do you want to record the workshop?
It’s important to put as much thought into the workshop as possible so you have a strong plan to start with. It’s fine to allow for some flexibility and adaptability, but start strong.
What is a Group Goal Setting Questionnaire?
A goal setting questionnaire can be one of two things:
- A questionnaire used to help define and tailor goals within a group setting by asking open questions that are then shared to identify synergies and gaps across the group.
- A questionnaire used by facilitators or researchers to build an idea of participants’ understanding of what goal setting is and what it entails.
Goal setting questionnaires can be particularly useful and meaningful in psychological research so that researchers can know where their participants sit in understanding goal setting and inform further research (Lee, Bobko, Earley & Locke, 1991).
What our readers think
A Non-Digital setting tool is to keep a goal setting journal. This is a good way to keep up with all your goals in life. With writing them down and looking at them every now and then it helps them stay in our memory and keep up to track with all of them. Also with writing them down it helps you see which ones you have succeeded with in the pass, which ones you are striving to have success in and the ones that will start coming up soon. Once you have succeeded them it is good to look at and to add and look at the goals you might need to start working on. A Digital setting tool is Coach me Goal Tracking (an app). This app helps you create goals for yourself, for in the future and for the present. it also helps you find some people that have the same goals that the would like to achieve and get in contact with them.
I think social support is super important! Creating a good system around you will not only impact your mood but also make your work ethic much better. People can change your whole day by just one action so surround yourself with positivity. Goal setting is one of my favorite ways to keep myself accountable. I love writing down what I need or want to do, it gives me something to look back on and check off. Both of these are great ways to improve yourself.
Get some social support- i like thsi one because i realize that it does matter who u surround ur self with. I like to surround myself with determined people that do there work. It influences me to do better and motivates me.
Keep a Goal Setting Journal- i do this in my notes app. I like to look at it when i feel unmotivated. It helps me feel more happy and motivated to do my work. And it keeps me on task
This is a really good respone because it is important to surround yourself with people who you know will benefit you and help you in the long run. Also a goal setting journal is important to motivate and keep you on track. Great study methods.