When SMART Goals Are Not Enough
By Matthew Koontz, MS, DTR
Nutrition counseling revolves around behavior change. Dietitians use goals to help us in the process, and many use the SMART goal guidelines, setting goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. These factors make a goal more effective, but SMART guidelines aren’t enough. While a goal to lower HbA1c by one point or lower blood pressure from high to elevated in six months fulfills SMART goal guidelines, it simply misses out on the how and the why.
Common SMART Goal Pitfalls:
- Focus on restriction
- Negativity & Criticism
- Centered on the result / ignoring the baby steps
- Missing progress measurement
- All or nothing mindset / revision taboo
- Disregarding experience as a benefit
- Undiscovered motivating factors
Many nutrition goals are mountain-sized, requiring long-lasting behavior change before seeing results. But with the focus lying on the outcome, the reward is too distant for our brains to stay positive. Even SMART goals can fall into this trap.
Taking a Program, Result, and Impact perspective will reinforce your goal setting.
Program – the specific behavior change chosen to lead you towards the Result.
This is where the SMART criteria come in handy.
Result – the desired outcome, lifestyle, or achievement.
Impact – the emotional fulfillment that motivates you to achieve the Result.
Result Focused to Program Focused
Sometimes goals focus on changes that people don’t have direct control over, like changing our muscle mass or amount of body fat. This type of “goal” is only the ideal outcome, A.K.A., the Result. Once the Result is defined, you can identify the behavior change most likely to lead to that outcome.
Many behavior change options will lead to the Result. Pick the changes that best fit your context and commitment level.
Pick one behavior change and use the SMART criteria to help create a Program. A specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goal for bowel regularity may sound like this:
Eat ½ cup cooked broccoli or cauliflower with dinner four days every week (M-Su) for two weeks.
Walk one block around the neighborhood on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the lunch break this week and determine if a fourth day can be added for next week’s goal.
Schedule and complete one of your top ten weekly stress-relieving activities for each of the next four weeks while tracking daily stress out of 10 at the end of each day.
These Programs are easy to understand and makes it easy to track follow-through. It breaks down a mountain-sized outcome into a baby step, behavior change. And with baby steps, it’s easier to succeed.
Even in failure, you’ve learned from your experience. It’s possible a slight tweak to the Program is all you need for success. Find the right Program for you through hands-on experience and flexibility.
Motivation Factor
The final piece is identifying the deeper reasons why you want the Result. This is the Impact.
Pinpoint the emotional need that you believe the Result will fill. Are you making your health based changes to have more time with loved ones? Or maybe you want to feel more confident. Remember the Impact you hope for when the path gets rocky. Once you identify the Impact, brainstorm more strategies to reach this point.
You may find that your outlined Program and targeted Result don’t make that Impact for you. For example, many would need more than a weight loss result to impact self confidence fully. That’s why it’s useful to approach the issue in various ways, creating a lifestyle to support that Impact. With the help of other practitioners, you can include non-nutrition strategies too.
Holistic Goal Setting
The Program, Result, Impact perspective turns goal-setting into a holistic care process. It addresses your deeper needs and helps you brainstorm alternative pathways to success while getting you to try new things and learn about yourself along the way.
What kind of goal can YOU make with the Program, Result, Impact perspective?
About the Author
Matthew Koontz MS, DTR is an entrepreneurial focused Dietetic Technician who recently graduated with a Master’s Degree from Bastyr University. With a Bachelors in business management and Bachelors in cultural anthropology Matt contemplates novel approaches in nutrition education for the public within todays cultural context. He has additional training in herb and supplement use, behavior change theories, and holistic perspectives and has clinical experience as a student in two clinic settings. His interests lie in nutrition for heart disease, diabetes, and gastrointestinal conditions as well as the lifestyle changes that help prevent and ameliorate these conditions.