Take a moment and think about some of your goals. Maybe you want to find a job you love, eat better, save money or improve your fitness levels. If you’ve set goals in the past, but failed to meet them, know that this time can be different. When you set goals using the S.M.A.R.T. method, you give yourself the tools needed to be successful.

S.M.A.R.T stands for:

Specific: What exactly are you going to do? Instead of saying, “eat a healthier diet,” a specific goal would be, “I want to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.”

Measurable: How will you know that you met your goal? So rather than setting a goal to lose weight you could say, “I want to lose 20 pounds.”

Achievable: Is your goal doable? Finding a new job by next week when you still need to write a resume might not be possible. But taking a few months to find a new job may be more attainable.

Realistic: Does the goal fit with your needs, interests and skills? Signing up for a 5K might not be a good idea if you don’t enjoy running or it hurts. Maybe doing yoga or lifting weights would be a better fit for you.

Time-Bound: When will you accomplish your goal? Set a date to keep yourself on track.

Now that you know how S.M.A.R.T. goals work, try rewriting your goals using the S.M.A.R.T. method. Then, the only thing left to do is start on the path toward making your goals happens.