If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
We have heard, seen, and written this so many times, it’s kinda like a golden rule. For every area of our lives and everything we want to achieve, there should be a plan, a goal. Setting goals is a lifelong process that we must never get sick of.
There are various techniques to set goals. I will be covering 2 of them - SMART Goal setting technique and HEART Goal setting technique, and their amalgamation - SMATHEART Goal setting technique.
A desire without a plan is just a wish. Goal setting is the way you turn your desires into an action plan, so they can be achieved.
Assalamu Alaykum, and welcome to another edition of Saleem Muslimah Articles. Today’s article is expanding on the concept of SMATHEART Goals that is the combination of the HEART and SMART Goals. Let’s dive right in.
SMART Goal Setting Technique
This acronym is for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
You set your goals the SMART way when you make your goals fit this criterion.
Here is an example.
Goal: I want to be healthier.
Specific Questions
What exactly do I need to do to achieve this goal?
Sleep better.
Eat less.
Exercise.
Walk 10000 steps.
Can I be more specific - using numbers?
Sleep at 10:30 pm and wake up at 4:30 am every day. Total 6 hours of sleep consistently.
Eat piecemeal. Get a small plate and only eat that plate, and do not take another serving.
Exercise for 20 minutes after morning Adhkar. Focusing on strength-building exercises, especially pull-ups.
3. Where can I do the actions to reach this goal?
Sleep in my room.
Exercise on the balcony.
Why do I want to achieve this goal?
Because its important to me to take care of this vessel.
I want to be able to carry my grandkids at 80.
Because health is wealth.
5. What do I need to stop doing to achieve this goal?
Watching movies after Maghrib.
Forgetting to exercise.
Staying cooped up in the house?
Measurable Questions
What does success look like for this goal?
Lose 5 pounds.
Great sleep analysis in my journal.
Being able to do 5 pull-ups.
How can I measure or track this goal?
Use a daily habit tracker to track my sleep hours and exercise.
I wear a smart watch to track my sleep quality.
I use a scale to measure my weight.
Can I get pictures to visualize this goal?
How can I break down this goal to make tracking easy?
Exercise for 20 minutes every day and track it in my daily calendar.
Track losing 1 - 2 pounds per week.
Sleep at the same time and track hours slept immediately after I wake up.
What can I do to make achieving this goal easier?
Don't beat myself up on my streak.
Be gentle and kind to myself.
Get an accountability partner.
Achievable Questions
Is the goal possible and probable?
Yes
Is the goal challenging yet achievable?
Yes, sleeping regularly is quite challenging.
What can I say no to, to be able to achieve this goal?
Eating breakfast without exercise.
Working late into the night.
Relevant Questions
Will this goal positively impact my life?
Yes
Is this goal currently relevant to my overall life plan?
Yes, I have been planning to work on my health for a while now.
What low-effort, high-value action can make this goal easier?
Sleep very well.
Is this goal aligned with my current top 3 core values?
Yes, health.
Time Bound Question.
When do I want to achieve this goal by?
In 90 days - exactly July 31st, 2025
Goal Formula
By [date].
I have achieved [outcome].
By [clear actions taken]. Sacrificing [bad habits].
This is important to me because [reason].
Add pictures. Take habits and create a daily habit tracker.
Goal Statement.
By July 31st, 2025.
I have become healthier - I weigh 45kg, sleep consistently, can do 5 pullups effortlessly, and eat small and feel full.
I achieved this by exercising on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday every week - focusing on strength-building exercise, sleeping at 10:30 pm, and waking up at 4:30 am, eating small meals at every meal time.
To achieve this goal, I gave up watching movies after Maghrib. I gave up working late by switching my laptop off at 9:30 pm every day.
This is important to me because I want to treat this vessel better. I want to be able to carry my grandkids at 80 and be strengthened in my body.
This manner of starting with a vague goal and answering the questions for each letter makes a beautiful SMART Goal.
It’s not necessary to answer all of the questions, you can pick 2-3 under each that interest you.
But at the end of this exercise, you should have your goal planned out. Written out on paper. Now you can go ahead and paste it where you will see it every day - bathroom window, wallpaper, on the bedroom door, etc.
The problem with this goal-setting technique is that it’s very logical but not emotional. It is driven but not flexible.
HEART Goal Setting Technique.
This method was popularized by Jim Kwik in his book, Limitless. The acronym translates to Healthy, Enduring, Alluring, Relevant and Truth.
Here is an example;
Goal: Deepen my connection with my Rabb
Healthy Questions.
Will this goal improve my physical, emotional, or mental health?
Yes, it will improve all three.
How can this goal improve my physical, emotional, or mental health?
Deepening my connection with Allah will let the emptiness in my heart be filled with His love.
Deepening my connection with Allah will put barakah in my efforts.
How can I make sure this goal supports my greater well-being?
Enduring Questions.
Is this goal inspiring to me?
Yes
How can I make this goal inspiring to me?
I can make it more inspiring to me by thinking of paradise and its beauty.
I can make it more inspiring to me by thinking of life in the grave.
I can make it more inspiring to me by reminding myself that my death is inevitable and of unknown time.
How can I make sure to do this goal when I don't have willpower and want to quit?
Alluring Questions.
Is this goal exciting for me?
Not really.
How can I make working on this goal exciting for me?
Reading the Quran with its meaning.
Eating a cookie after a day of connection with my Rabb.
How can I make it engaging and fun?
By joining a group of sisters to finish the Quran in a month.
Having quizzes on the seerah.
Doing a 30-day challenge of deeper connection with Allah with my friends.
Relevant Questions.
Is this goal tied to my purpose?
Yes. As a muslim, my purpose in the world is serving my Rabb.
Is this goal tied to my core values?
Yeah, my core value of spirituality.
Is this goal in line with my overall life plan?
Yes.
Truth Questions.
Is this goal true to me?
Yeah. The purpose of my existence is to worship Allah. I am simply prioritizing that right now.
Am I really sure it wasn't assigned to me?
Yeah. I am choosing to do this right now.
How is this goal screaming "MEEE"?
Will I not procrastinate or sabotage myself?
Yes, I won’t.
Goal Formula.
I want to achieve [goal].
This is deeply important to me because [Healthy answers].
I will rush to do the actions because [Enduring Answers]
To make this fun and exciting, I will [Alluring answers]
Goal Statement.
I want to deepen my connection with Allah
This is deeply important to me because Deepening my connection with Allah will let the emptiness in my heart be filled with His love. Deepening my connection with Allah will put barakah in my efforts.
I will rush to do the actions to reach this goal because death is inevitable and of unknown time. I want to enter paradise and see my Rabb's face. I know I will be alone in my grave, and only the actions I do here will help me there.
To make this fun and exciting. I will join or invite 5 muslimahs to do a 30 days challenge of different daily actions to be more connected with Allah. I will challenge myself to recite the Quran in one month.
This approach of setting goals focuses on the emotional. The only similar acronym with SMART is Relevant. The defects of this is it isn't specific enough - all the other four acronyms makes this still a little big vague.
SMART + HEART = HEARTSMAT Goal Setting Technique
Here we are combining the two goal-setting techniques to create a goal statement that is both logical and emotional.
Goal: Be healthier.
Health Questions
Will this goal improve my physical, emotional, or mental health?
Yes, it will improve all three.
How can this goal improve my physical, emotional, or mental health?
Improving my health by sleeping better, eating less, and exercising will improve my physical, emotional, and mental health.
How can I make sure this goal supports my greater well-being?
Enduring Questions
Is this goal inspiring to me?
Yes
How can I make this goal inspiring to me?
I can make it more inspiring to me by visualizing being 80+ and needing no wheelchair or walking stick.
I can make it more inspiring to me by imagining climbing long stairs without feeling tired or gasping for air.
How can I make sure to do this goal when I don't have willpower and want to quit?
Alluring Questions
Is this goal exciting for me?
Not really.
How can I make working on this goal exciting for me?
Journaling about my sleep and celebrating every week of consistent sleep.
Spice up my food options and have an exciting meal plan.
Exercise with growingananas. I love her workout routines and how it make me stretch my limitations every time.
How can I make it engaging and fun?
Join an accountability group.
Relevant Questions
Will this goal positively impact my life?
Yes
Is this goal currently relevant to my overall life plan?
Yes, I had been planning to work on my health for a while now.
What low-effort, high-value action can make this goal easier?
Sleep very well.
Is this goal aligned with my current top 3 core values?
Yes, health.
Truth Questions.
Is this goal true to me?
Yeah. My health is of utmost importance to me.
Am I really sure it wasn't assigned to me?
Yeah. I am choosing to do this right now.
How is this goal screaming "MEEE"?
Will I not procrastinate or sabotage myself?
Yes, I won’t.
Specific Questions
What exactly do I need to do to achieve this goal?
Sleep better.
Eat less.
Exercise.
Walk 10000 steps.
Can I be more specific - using numbers?
Sleep at 10:30 pm and wake up at 4:30 am every day. Total 6 hours of sleep consistently.
Eat piecemeal. Get a small plate and only eat that plate, and do not take another serving.
Exercise for 20 minutes after morning Adhkar. Focusing on strength-building exercises, especially pull-ups.
3. Where can I do the actions to reach this goal?
Sleep in my room.
Exercise on the balcony.
Why do I want to achieve this goal?
Because its important to me to take care of this vessel.
I want to be able to carry my grandkids at 80.
Because health is wealth.
5. What do I need to stop doing to achieve this goal?
Watching movies after Maghrib.
Forgetting to exercise.
Staying cooped up in the house?
Measurable Questions
What does success look like for this goal?
Lose 5 pounds.
Great sleep analysis in my journal.
Being able to do 5 pull-ups.
How can I measure or track this goal?
Use a daily habit tracker to track my sleep hours and exercise.
I wear a smart watch to track my sleep quality.
I use a scale to measure my weight.
Can I get pictures to visualize this goal?
How can I break down this goal to make tracking easy?
Exercise for 20 minutes every day and track it in my daily calendar.
Track losing 1 - 2 pounds per week.
Sleep at the same time and track hours slept immediately after I wake up.
What can I do to make achieving this goal easier?
Don't beat myself up on my streak.
Be gentle and kind to myself.
Get an accountability partner.
Achievable Questions
Is the goal possible and probable?
Yes
Is the goal challenging yet achievable?
Yes, sleeping regularly is quite challenging.
What can I say no to, to be able to achieve this goal?
Eating breakfast without exercise.
Working late into the night.
Time Bound Question.
When do I want to achieve this goal by?
In 90 days - exactly July 31st, 2025
Goal Formula
By [date].
I have achieved [Clear outcome].
I achieved this by [specific answers].
This is deeply important to me because [Enduring answers + Measurable answers].
Sacrificing [bad habits].
To make this fun and exciting I will [Alluring answers]
Add pictures. Take habits and create a daily habit tracker.
Goal Statement
By July 31st, 2025.
I have become healthier - I weigh 45kg, sleep consistently , can do 5 pullups effortlessly and eat small and feel full.
I achieved this by exercising for Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week - focusing on strength building exercise, sleeping at 10:30 pm and waking up at 4:30 am, eating small at every meal time.
To achieve this goal, I gave up watching movies after Maghrib. I gave up working late by switching my laptop off at 9:30 pm every day.
This is important to me because I want to treat this vessel better. I want to be able to carry my grandkids at 80 and be strengthened in my body. I want to climb long stairs without gasping for air.
To make this fun and exciting, I will;
Journaling about my sleep and celebrating every week of consistent sleep.
Spice up my food options and create an exciting meal plan.
Exercise with growingananas. I love her workout routines and how it make me stretch my limitations every time.
Conclusion
This my manner of goal setting is both logical and emotional. Yeah its going to take a long time to create this yourself so I only advise creating quarterly or 6 months goals with this.
And if you have any questions or need my help with it. Reach out to me on WhatsApp here - https://api.whatsapp.com/send/?phone=%2B2349078855054&
Jazakumullah Khayran for reading.
If you haven't gotten the quarterly goals playbook yet, hit this link - https://tally.so/r/wzbrq1 and you will get it in your mail.
I hope you have a beautiful weekend.
With Love.
Rofiat Ibrahim of Saleem Muslimah.