Apply “SMART Goals” to Lent

SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. It is a simple tool used in the business industry to set actionable plans to make goals.

Here is an example: you want to overcome impatience (anger) and gluttony (over eating) etc. and deepen your prayer life.

Specific: Avoid the abstract (I will limit phone usage and temporary physical comforts; I will pray more). Make it concrete: I will limit time on the internet; I will limit eating junk food, sweets; I will pray the Rosary and do spiritual reading).

Measurable: Attach numbers to what you will do: I will give up all social media; I will eat no junk food, sweets, and non-veg during Lent; I will pray one Rosary daily and read the bible for 15 minutes daily.

Achievable: Avoid something you know you cannot do (Give up all internet; fast every day; 2 hours of daily spiritual reading). Focus on what you can do: Give up social media, but still use internet for email and work; give up junk food, sweets, non-veg and wait five minutes when you sit down to eat a meal; pray a daily Rosary and read the bible for 15 minutes in the evenings without distractions).

Relevant: Focus on what can deepen your relationship with Our Lord. Use the time you would have taken for social media and extra eating to pick up the spiritual activities.

Time-Based: When do you expect to accomplish your goal and how often? For example, we will do these actions for 40 days. By Easter, you hope to establish habits of reaching for the higher things instead of the lower things. You will be more patient and temperate because you have disciplined your mind and body. You will have more time and mental and physical energy for Our Lord.