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SMART goals, the coaching version
Rephrase a vague intention into an observable commitment, without turning the session into a project meeting. The five criteria come from project management; the questions that fill them don't.
The nuance that changes everything
In management, SMART is for tracking achievement. In coaching, it makes the commitment concrete enough for the client to know themselves whether they kept it. The measurable criterion isn't a KPI: it's a sign the client will recognize.
Rephrase a commitment
Answer in your words, or the client's. Nothing is sent.
S · Specific
What exactly are we talking about?
An intention is vague when it describes a state rather than an action. The specific criterion doesn't ask for a number, but for naming the concrete situation where the commitment plays out.
Questions to ask
What will you do, concretely, and with whom?
If I followed you this week, when would I see you doing it?
What does it replace, in what you do today?
If the answer contains “be more”, “less stressed”, “manage better”, it's not a commitment yet but a wish.
The rephrased commitment
Fill in at least the specific criterion to see the commitment take shape here.
Before / after
Three intentions, rephrased.
What going through the five criteria concretely changes in how a session commitment is phrased.
What the client says
“I really need to learn to say no”
What they commit to
Refuse one single request from Marc this week, without giving a justification. I'll know it's done if I haven't sent an explanatory message afterwards.
The measurable criterion is the unsent message, not the number of refusals.
What the client says
“I'd like to manage my time better”
What they commit to
Block Friday morning for writing, and hold it once. I'll know it's done if the slot is still there Friday at noon.
The ambition was reduced from a habit to a single occurrence.
What the client says
“I should get back to exercising”
What they commit to
Walk twenty minutes after lunch, Tuesday and Thursday. At the next session we look at what happened on the days it didn't take place.
The deadline serves the next session, not the performance.
The three traps
When SMART kills the session.
Phrasing in the client's place
A commitment you wrote won't be kept. If the client can't repeat it from memory at the end of the session, it isn't theirs.
Chasing a number at all costs
“Say no twice this week” is measurable and absurd. The right criterion is often qualitative: “I'll know I did it if I didn't need to justify myself.”
Running through all five criteria in a row
The tool is a re-reading grid, not a script. Two or three criteria are usually enough; all five in a row turn the session into an annual review.
With Klarity
The commitment is spotted in the session, not retyped after.
When the client says what they'll do, Klarity extracts it with its date and attaches it to their file. At the next session, it comes back to you in the briefing, with the question of whether it was kept.
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What coaches ask us
What does the acronym SMART stand for?
SMART brings together five criteria for writing a goal: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. A goal that meets all five is clear, trackable and dated.
Can you give an example of a SMART goal?
'Sign three new one-to-one coaching clients (specific and measurable: 3 signed contracts), by posting twice a week on LinkedIn (achievable), to make a living from coaching (relevant), by December 31st (time-bound).' Each criterion is explicit, which makes the goal actionable.
Can I copy my SMART goal?
Yes. Fill in the five fields, then copy the generated text in one click to reuse in your notes or tracking tool. Nothing is sent or stored online: everything stays in your browser.
Is SMART only for work?
No. The method works for any personal or professional goal: health, a project, relationships, learning. In coaching it fits a life goal as well as a career goal.
Connect your calendar. The first session is in memory tonight.
A few minutes of setup, then Klarity works in the background: capture, summary, memory and the next session's briefing.