SMART Method — and Powerful Alternatives
A side-by-side guide for goal setting you can use in your projects, team, and daily habits.
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TL;DR Which one should I use?
Use SMART for clear, measurable goals with deadlines. Choose CLEAR when teamwork, emotion, and flexibility matter. Pick HARD to push passion and difficulty. Try OKR for company-wide alignment. Use WOOP to beat obstacles in habits. Choose FAST to keep goals ambitious and visible.
Methods Similar to SMART
- CLEAR — Collaborative, Limited, Emotional, Appreciable, Refinable
- HARD — Heartfelt, Animated, Required, Difficult
- OKR — Objectives & Key Results
- WOOP — Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan
- FAST — Frequent, Ambitious, Specific, Transparent
These frameworks complement SMART. Mix and match to fit your team, project, or personal routine.
Comparison Table
Comparison of goal-setting frameworks
| Method | Full Form | Focus Area | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMART | Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound | Clarity, measurability, structure | Personal & business goals with clear deadlines |
| CLEAR | Collaborative, Limited, Emotional, Appreciable, Refinable | Teamwork, adaptability, motivation | Team projects needing flexibility & engagement |
| HARD | Heartfelt, Animated, Required, Difficult | Emotional commitment & challenge | Personal growth, leadership, stretching targets |
| OKR | Objectives & Key Results | Inspiring objectives + measurable outcomes | Organizations, startups, cross-team alignment |
| WOOP | Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan | Motivation & overcoming barriers | Habits, self-improvement, daily routines |
| FAST | Frequent, Ambitious, Specific, Transparent | Speed, ambition, visibility | Large teams aiming for alignment & cadence |
Quick How-To (One-Minute Setups)
- SMART: Write one sentence covering S/M/A/R/T. Add the exact deadline and success metric.
- CLEAR: Name collaborators, limit scope, add the emotional “why,” split into micro-steps, note how you’ll refine weekly.
- HARD: Write your heartfelt reason, visualize the end state, list what’s required, make it deliberately challenging.
- OKR: 1 inspiring Objective + 3–4 numeric Key Results (baseline → target). Review monthly.
- WOOP: State your wish, best outcome, likely obstacles (internal), then an “If X then I will Y” plan.
- FAST: Publish goals, make them ambitious & specific, review frequently, keep them visible to the team.
Pro tip: Combine frameworks. Example: Use OKR for company alignment and write each key result as a SMART goal. Apply FAST cadence for reviews.