How to Set SMART Goals for Your Recovery Journey

Goals are essential to our lives. Goals are what we wish to achieve for ourselves over a period of time. Life goals, relationship goals, short-term goals, long-term goals, and more are all things we want to accomplish, and it takes dedication and planning to get there. Recovery works the very same way. What is our goal? To live a substance-free life. How do we get there? Measured steps, support, and rigorous honesty.

SMART Goals for SMART recovery

It is an acronym for:

Specific: A goal should be specific. What is the goal we want to achieve?

Measurable: A goal should be measurable. What are the steps we’re going to take to get there?

Achievable: A goal should be within your reach. If we set an astronomical standard to achieve something we know we can’t do, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment. That is the quickest way to not meet a goal set.

Relevant: A goal should be relevant to you and how you want to better yourself in life.

Timely: A goal should have a reasonable timeline set on it to reach it.

The Importance of Setting Goals

Saying we want to do something and then never thinking about it again is pretty typical for people. Then, some people say, “I want to do this thing, so I’m going to do this thing,” and then people are surprised when they’ve actually done it. Did it seem impossible when they said they’d do it, or are we just surprised as a society to see people achieving what they want out of life for themselves?

Goals get us places. It doesn’t have to be anything extraordinary; it can be as simple as taking on an art project, and little by little, over a few weeks, it’s done, and then there’s this amazing piece of art that you’ve created.

Setting a goal is like a side-quest in a game. Some goals can contribute to our lives in a significant way, bettering us as people, and some goals are like a cool brag we’ve earned. It adds a variety to our lives, having these goals we’ve set and followed through with. It’s like leveling up in life.

Being SMART in Recovery Goals

What is the specific goal we want to meet in recovery? We want to live a life without substances and to start that journey we’ll do 90 meetings in 90 days. If we have reached the point where we are considering entering a treatment facility to address our mental health and substance abuse, chances are we’ve reached a rather unmanageable point in our lives. We’ve decided to take action and push back against the circumstances that brought us here. Our overall goal is recovery, and we’re going to set an immediate goal of 90-in-90 to help us get there.

What is the measurable amount of time we want to take to meet our goal? In this case, it’s 90 days. It takes roughly 90 days to create a habit. If we attend 90 12-Step meetings in 90 days, we are building the habit of getting to meetings, which helps our sobriety, and we’re building the habit of staying sober. Early recovery brings physical and chemical adjustment to the body, so it’s important to create that habit and support system when first starting out.

Is the goal of 90-in-90 achievable? Yes. One meeting a day for 90 days sounds like a lofty goal, and there will be some days you won’t feel like attending a meeting, and those are the days that it is vital that you attend one. Also, if you set an end date for your goal, it’s more likely you’ll see it through. Having that definite end to a goal makes it feel more attainable. After those 90 days are up, hopefully, you’ll have created a solid habit that you’ll continue to attend meetings regularly.

The relevance of this specific goal is aiding your sobriety. Goals are a good practice to instill into your everyday life, but what good does it serve you if it doesn’t pertain to you or your wellness? The relevance of the 90-in-90 example is to help keep you on your path to recovery by creating a good habit of fellowship and education in sobriety.

Lastly, timing is a key factor in setting goals. Our time limit is 90 days, or three months, to make 90 meetings. The goal of 90-in-90 is a common one amongst the recovery community because they know how effective that practice can be. It takes three months to form a good habit, so 90 days is a perfect timeline to work with for this specific goal.

The SMART goal recovery model is ideal for creating and achieving goals because it creates accountability and a clear-cut plan of action to meet our desired goal. Most people in a profession that involves helping others use this model of goal setting to help create a sense of independence and accountability.

Twilight Recovery Center

The SMART goal model of goal setting can work for just about anything. Specific to recovery, it is the ideal model to work with. What is a specific goal in your recovery, or what is the goal of your recovery? How are you going to meet it? Is it a realistic goal that you’ll be able to achieve? Is the goal relevant to you and your sobriety? How long are you going to give yourself to reach this goal? The SMART goal recovery model is the ideal setup for creating and achieving goals. It creates accountability and a clear-cut plan of action to meet our desired goal. If you or a loved one is struggling with substance use and are seeking help, let Twilight Recovery Center guide you through the journey of recovery. Call us at (888) 414-8183  for more information on how to live a recovered life.