10 Must-See Examples of Written Goals to Inspire You in 2023

Are you looking for some inspiration in life? Take a look at these must-see examples of written goals to inspire you in 2023.

Are you setting goals for yourself…?

…OR are you aimlessly navigating through life without a plan??

Setting goals for yourself is a great way to stay MOTIVATED in life…. And even more importantly, they help you fulfill your responsibilities and daily to-dos. Which, sadly, none of us can escape from!

When life becomes full of many day-to-day tasks, your goals, or as I like to call it, your “WHY”, will remind you of the reasons to KEEP PUSHING forward. Setting goals helps to prevent getting stuck….and we’ve ALL been there, right?

Goals are an important reminder of the BIG PICTURE, that alluring vision. And with persistence and hard work, you can achieve your FULL POTENTIAL! I’ve seen it happen for myself and for those around me… so I KNOW you too can make some amazing things happen!!

Actually, Dale Carnegie said it perfectly: “With perseverance, the snail reached the ark.”

So, whether you are interested in that promising career, growth in your side hustle, financial milestones, fitness training, health goals, or personal development…whatever ASPIRATIONS you have in mind…

…you’re in good hands!

WHY? Because, I’ve created a guide that walks you through the ART OF SETTING GOALS for yourself. In this guide, we will go through a list of common examples of written goals to hopefully helpy INSPIRE YOU to create your own list! 

BUT…

Before we dive in, I’d like to highlight that it is not just enough to set goals. For a goal to be effective, it has to be SMART. This is a well known and discussed acronym which stands for a goal that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. 

You might be wondering… why does this matter?

Because using the SMART goal framework helps you get rid of confusion and gain absolute CLARITY. It helps you to understand EXACTLY what you need to do, when to do it, and how to do it to achieve your desired outcome. 

Anything other than that is just a mere wish… without some type of framework or plan, your chances of meeting that goal are slim to none. And we want to ACHIEVE our goals, right?! RIGHT !

Okay guys, now that we touched on what a SMART goal is and why it’s important, let’s break down 10 powerful examples of written goals. I feel like this part is going to get you excited… I wholeheartedly believe in the power of written goal and so will you after reading this!!

For better structure and ease of access, I arranged the list into distinct categories that basically touch on personal goals, business goals, and leadership goals. 

Now let’s dive in…! Are you READY?!

PERSONAL SMART Goal Examples

These examples of written goals will show you how to improve anything in your life. So, here we go!

1. Get fit

Weak goal:

I am going to get in shape.

SMART goal:

Specific: I am going to start training 5 days a week and get into shape before summer.

Measurable: I am going to sign-up for fitness classes & set a 30lbs weight loss goal.

Attainable: I have the discipline, tools and resources for this. And summer is many months ahead.

Relevant: I want to become fit, healthy, and strong. I want to be full of energy and feel zest for my life, and of course, have a body that I am proud of.

Time-bound: I have a solid six months to hit this goal.

SMART Goal Summary:

I am going to get into shape and achieve a strong, healthy body by Summer. To hit my goal, I will have to work hard at the gym and adjust my nutrition.

You see how these examples of written goals are ALREADY more inspiring than the original “I want to get in shape” goal?

2. Achieve a personal project

Weak goal:

I am going to brand my business.

SMART goal:

Specific: I am going to brand my e-commerce business.

Measurable: I will need to define the project parameters, then hire a designer.

Attainable: I have X amount of money and Y amount of time for this project.

Relevant: I can earn extra income through my affiliate marketing skills.

Time-bound: I will start tomorrow on January 28 and finish March 15th.

SMART Goal Summary:

I am going to brand my e-commerce business. I have 7 weeks for this project, which starts tomorrow and ends on March 15th. This project will cost me X amount of money and Y amount of time.

3. Improve a relationship

Weak goal:

I am going to improve my relationships.

SMART goal:

Specific: I am going to improve my relationships with James, Mariah, and Aunt Mabel.

Measurable: I will call each of them once a week.

Attainable: We used to have great relationships and they have always encouraged me to visit more often.

Relevant: I want to improve the quality of our family togetherness, so that everyone can feel loved and supported.

Time-bound: I will stay with this plan for 3 months and see what type of progress it produces before I plan my next steps.

SMART Goal Summary:

I am going to improve my relationships with James, Mariah, and Aunt Mabel. To achieve this, I will have to call them once a week for 3 months.

How are you FEELING so far…? I hope this is all making sense!

Let’s continue with some more examples of written goals to inspire you… If you aren’t there yet, no worries … just try to trust the process.

 

BUSINESS SMART Goal Examples

Want to start or grow your own business? These SMART business goal examples will help give your process that extra spark!

4. Start a business

Weak goal:

I am going to start a fitness business.

SMART goal:

Specific: I am going to open a Personal Training business.

Measurable: Within the next six months, I plan to have at least 50 new clients.

Attainable: I am a qualified trainer, I have all of my certifications, I have friends & family who have all given me positive feedback & I am prepared.

Relevant: I have the skills, experience and passion, plus I know a lot of people who have expressed they are looking for a solution to get healthier & into shape.

Time-bound: I will start in March.

SMART Goal Summary:

I will start a Personal Training business in March. Within the next six months, I plan to have at least 50 new, regular clients.

5. Market a business

Weak goal:

I am going to make more sales.

SMART goal:

Specific: I am going to explore social media marketing and invest 25% of my profits into this system.

Measurable: I am going to double my sales within 3 months.

Attainable: I have the relevant skills and experience in Facebook and Google ads, as well as the funds needed to run them.

Relevant: I need more income to live the life that I want.

Time-bound: I will start running paid campaigns next week Monday. Then, I will continue to learn and explore other marketing options, and evaluate my results in 3 months.

SMART Goal Summary:

I need to double my sales within 3 months. I will invest 25% of my business profits into paid campaigns and other digital marketing options. I am kicking off this project on Monday, next week.

Are you still with me?! Let’s continue with some more examples of written goals in the business area…

6. Grow a business

Weak goal:

I am going to grow my business.

SMART goal:

Specific: I am going to hire a Social Media Manager to grow my page and handle customer service for my business. This will free up time for me to do product research and add new items to my store.

Measurable: The goal is to hire a Social Media Manager and create 3 new posts per day.

Attainable: I have experience vetting and hiring freelancers, as well as how to find products that win.

Relevant: Growing my business will bring in more money and free up more hours for me.

Time-bound: I will hire a SMM on Tuesday, next week, and add 10 new products to my store within a month.

SMART Goal Summary:

Next Tuesday, I am going to hire a Social Media Manager to grow my page and handle customer service, so that I can free up time. I will add 10 new products to my store within the first month of launch.

WORK SMART Goal Examples

Some examples of written goals for work? Achieving that dream job or career? YES, please! These will help you make progress in your career.

7. Land a dream job

Weak goal:

I am going to get a better job.

SMART goal:

Specific: I am going to apply as an Email Marketing Strategist for an e-commerce giant like Amazon and work remotely.

Measurable: I will send a minimum of 10 job applications to different companies within 2 months.

Attainable: I have worked as an Email Marketing Copywriter in the advertisement department of a big firm.

Relevant: I want to meet and work with amazing people, as well as contribute to something innovative. A big company will offer the best opportunity for my experience and growth. 

Time-bound: I will apply to 10 job openings within the next two months.

SMART Goal Summary:

I am going to land my dream with a big company like Amazon. To fulfill this goal, I will need to send a total of 10 job applications within 2 months. I will prepare them thoroughly and carefully to fit the requirements of each specific company.

8. Get a promotion

Weak goal:

I am going to get a promotion.

SMART goal:

Specific: I am going to earn a promotion and become a Senior Email Marketing Strategist.

Measurable: I am going to get the required training and certification, then submit my application. I will also undertake extra work projects to show my preparedness for bigger responsibilities.

Attainable: I have worked as an Email Marketing Copywriter at the advertisement department of another big company and my work provided significant results. My present company is also looking to hire another senior Email Marketing Strategist by July.

Relevant: I want to continue to challenge myself and grow in my career.

Time-bound: Within the next 3 weeks, I will take on one extra work project. I will complete the required training within 6 weeks, and apply for the position 2 weeks after.

SMART Goal Summary:

I am going to secure a promotion to become the senior Email Marketing Strategist at my company. To achieve this, I will take on an extra work project within 3 weeks, pass the required training in 6 weeks, and apply for the position 2 weeks after.

LEADERSHIP SMART Goal Examples

For leaders looking to inspire their team to more greatness, let’s continue with some additional (and EFFECTIVE) examples of written goals…this time in the leadership area!

9. Improve group efforts

Weak goal:

I am going to help my team increase sales.

SMART goal:

Specific: I am going to help my team qualify leads better so that they can save time selling only to people who have solid buying intentions.

Measurable: We are going to increase sales by 10%.

Attainable: If we clearly defined our target market, we can be able to achieve this goal.

Relevant: A significant portion of people we reach out to don’t buy. That means they are not TRULY in need of our products. We must define our audience better.

Time-bound: Within the next 3 months, we want to see significant results for our re-strategizing efforts.

SMART Goal Summary:

I am going to guide my team on a lead qualification process to enable us target only customers who are most likely to buy our products. We hope to see results go up by 10% in 3 months.

10. Effective Team Management

Weak goal:

I am going to improve communication within my team.

SMART goal:

Specific: I am going to help the team relate and communicate better, to save time for other essential responsibilities and increase productivity.

Measurable: On average, our team members spend 2.5 hours per day on email. Our target is to cut this down in half to 1.25 hours per day.

Attainable: If we can implement a strong messaging solution, we can achieve this. A team-wide messaging solution can help avoid confusion created by long and complex email chains.

Relevant: Empowering my team & helping them to increase productivity and output will reduce time waste and task inefficiency.

Time-bound: We aim to execute the messaging system by month end and split communication time within the next 2 months.

SMART Goal Summary:

I am going to improve my team’s communication and free up time by setting up a team messaging system by month end. Our target is to cut current messaging time to an average 1.25 hours per day within the next 2 months.

Summary

So, are you feeling motivated to break down your goals and GET AFTER IT?! I hope so!

We all need that little spark of inspiration now and then. That’s exactly why we wanted to give you these top examples to help you find that FIRE and set your own goals.

Written goals will help you gain clarity on your plans and ensure that you do all that’s needed to achieve your goals and most of all, writing down your goals makes them REAL.

I TRULY believe in the power of putting pen to paper when it comes to goal setting…that’s why I designed this STUNNING and FUNCTIONAL collection of daily planners that will change your life…go visit the shop to check out all the beautiful, limited-edition designs!

FAQ

What are some examples of written goals?

Some examples of written goals include writing down the desired fitness goal, dream job or business growth milestone that you want to achieve by a certain date.

How do you write an effective goal?

To write an effective goal, make sure it’s SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound! Think about what you want to accomplish, and write down the information in a way that meets the above-mentioned criteria to ensure that your goal will truly be effective.