S.M.A.R.T. Goals, Real Results

Ever feel like you’re forever switching mountains—plotting a new path, taking a few steps, then spotting an “easier” peak in the distance? We go straight at that pattern and replace it with a system that turns intention into traction. Using the SMART framework—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time Bound—we translate big goals into clear steps you can repeat, track, and improve.

We start with specificity, because drift is expensive. You’ll hear why picking a single target saves years and how to define it so you know exactly what to do next. From there, we move to measurement, showing how simple metrics become a compass: pace, progress, and prediction. When you can estimate outcomes, motivation rises and your plan stops being a wish list and starts being a roadmap. We also tackle achievability with honesty—how to aim high without slipping into delusion, align goals with your current skills and energy, and build momentum through sustainable focus instead of lottery-level luck.

Relevance is the fuel. We connect goals to values like freedom, health, family, and contribution so your reasons outlast the hard days. Finally, we reframe timelines with “spiritual” deadlines that create urgency without anxiety. This approach keeps you moving faster while avoiding the burnout that comes from rigid promises. You’ll leave with prompts to pick your mountain, define measurable milestones, choose achievable scope, anchor to your why, and set a kind deadline that still gets results.

If clarity beats chaos for you, press play. Then share your SMART goal with us, subscribe for future deep dives, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your next step could be the one that makes your progress visible.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And SMART Framework Overview
• 1:10 S: Getting Specific With Goals
• 6:00 M: Measure Progress To Predict Outcomes
• 12:12 A: Achievable Without Delusion
• 18:12 R: Make Goals Relevant To Values
• 22:12 T: Time Bound With Gentle Deadlines
• 26:32 Recap, Reflections, And Listener Prompts

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible, Tony Robbins. Hi guys, my name is Fabio from Journey to Success and welcome. Today we're going to discuss a fantastic topic. The SMART goal concept, the SMART timeframe, where the acronym SMART, S M-A-R-T, stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. Alright, so we're gonna dive deep into this concept to help you understand it and take it with you on your journey to success. But before we go forward, as always, please subscribe. Alright, so I know this is the right direction to lead you guys, to drive you, to guide you towards your journey to success. And let's get started, alright, as always. So let's get started straight away with the first letter of this word, alright? S for specific. So let's start with an example, an example from mine. It took me more than uh 10 years of research to understand what I really want to do in my life, guys. I went through a lot, I went through a lot of trial and error without even acknowledging, you know. So months turn into years and years turn into decade. And now I'm a podcaster, but I'm not monetizing this project fully yet. The point is that if I had started my podcasting journey more than 10 years ago, guys, I would be in a different financial situation today. But it's also true that a decade ago, I would have uh had the capacity to speak from my own experience since my journey has been filled with missteps, you know? So it's actually a paradox. But what I'm trying to say is that I've never been specific about my goals or targeted. I've always been spinning between uh tons of projects. So overall, if you are not specific, guys, you might invest a lot of time without realizing how all these years have passed, okay? Now, you need to ask these three questions about about this this uh letter of the time frame, about the S of specific. First of all, what needs to be accomplished? That's the first question. So in my case, it's guiding you through the lessons that took me years to learn, all right. Number two, who is responsible for it? So also you need to answer that question. In my case, it's myself. Me in this case, of course, I have a responsibility towards you. And then number three, what steps need to be taken to achieve it? It is an interesting question because the moment you blindly jump between projects, you struggle to understand the steps needed to plan and achieve them. Okay, it's like let's say looking for a mountain, okay? So you plan the the first steps. Let's say that you you look for one mountain. So you you are gonna plan the first steps, but then halfway through your journey from far away, you see an easier mountain to climb because you realize that this current one makes you tired. You start to make excuses, you know. Oh my god, my back, too much pain, this is too much hard for me, this mountain. So then you see this this other mountain. It looks easier to climb. So you go back, plan the steps for the second mountain, start walking, and then uh when the second mountain is too much vertical, you decide to go back again to the first one, or maybe search for a third mountain, you know, a third one. You know what I mean? It's the same way you're building a business, guys. So if you're not specific, you may waste time. That's the reality. While it is important to take the time to restart and reinvent yourself, this approach doesn't always apply. I know that it can be difficult to know, you know. I mean, how do I recognize when to let go or when to persist? This is a very important question. Understanding when to leave a project can actually be a crucial step towards success in reaching what you really want to do in your life, and vice versa as well. You know, recognize when not to leave a project, it's also very important. But it's challenging. It's challenging to know when to persist and when to stop. I struggle with this as well. Everyone struggles, as many people do. And actually, you know what? In the next episode, we will explore this concept in uh in more uh in more detail, all right? But the point here is about that you need to be specific. You need to be specific in your goals, in your uh in uh in your purpose, in everything that you want to do in a way to achieve your goals. M. So smart M for measurable. Let's consider the example of climbing a mountain. All right, imagine you have chosen your mountain, finally. Finally, you have chosen your mountain, and uh you already walked for for one hour, maybe more. So during that hour, you have estimated the the total number of steps taken and the distance covered, you know. So you know everything, you know uh how many kilometers already you you did, and you are considering uh a lot of things, you consider how many breaks you made until now. So the moment you you have a way to measure your steps is the moment you can start predicting your future, guys. Okay. Example. With my community on Soupstack, I reach 1,000 subscribers in five months. So this means that if I maintain the same speed, I can uh reasonably expect to gain another 1,000 subscribers in the next five months. Okay, easy. It's mathematic. However, we also have to consider the snowball effect, okay, which could lead to even faster growth. So over 10 years, I could potentially have more than 20,000 subscribers. And by the time, I would likely have monetized my content, allow me to grow not only organically anymore, like I'm doing, but also through advertisements. So in 10 years, these 20,000 subscribers, guys, could be even double, you know. Of course, with effort and sweat, because I'm sure I will never go viral for any reason, because it's been always like that. I'm not that kind of lucky guy. And actually, it's better this way. The knowledge I have, guys, comes from all the steps I've taken, you know, including the mistakes I I made along the way. But the key point, what is the key point here? The key point is that once you choose your project, every mistake and bit of progress you make helps you understand how to predict future outcomes. So the more natural data you have, the clearer your potential outcomes become in the coming years. And right now, even if I don't have all the necessary data with me, I'm still no, sorry, not still, I'm ready. I'm already starting to predict the future, which is an exciting moment for me, all right? And uh where you rely on numbers, guys, and objective information rather than assumptions, then you enter a realm of facts. Knowing that you can achieve your goals mathematically, you know, provides you with the energy to move forward with your project more quickly because you know exactly what you need to do in a repetitive, routine way. And in my opinion, this is the most uh let's say that maybe I wouldn't say the most beautiful part of the process, but for sure one of the best parts of the process. Okay, number uh no, we don't have numbers here. Letter letter A for achievable. So smart A. A for achievable. What is your goal? What is your goal, guys? If you are aiming to become, let's say, a successful YouTuber while also trying to go viral on Instagram, that's a problem. Okay, we are in the letter A, achievable. Now, just be with me for a moment. Consider in these uh context, consider the letter S as well, which stands for specific. So you need to be specific to achieve something in your life, so you need to be specific to make sure you can achieve your purpose. Okay. But in this case, it's just an example. The case of the YouTuber and the Instagrammer is just an example. If you want to become a YouTuber, but also you try to go viral on Instagram, your goal is not specific at all. Unless you plan on going viral, but you are essentially relying on luck, you know? So, in that sense, it is as achievable as becoming a millionaire by paying the lottery. You need to understand this point clearly, guys. And also, it is very important to avoid being delusional. For example, my current energy, focus, experience, and approach to my podcast are centered around solo podcasting, guys. Alright, this means my skills are sharp in that format, but I wouldn't be as effective at hosting guests or even being a guest, I wouldn't have the same flow. In the past, I did have several solo guest episodes on my podcast. Still, there was a lot of room for improvement that I didn't enjoy it as much. Not for the people, the people were good, amazing people, but for my approach, evidently because there was a lot to improve yet, you know. And I've decided to move on from that format, which here shows also the importance of recognizing when to leave a project. You know, we talked before about it, when to leave a project or a part of a project to achieve your goal better. Now, I would like to highlight the delusional point when it comes to achieving something, okay? Let's say that my desire is to one day host guest of the caliber of Wuffie Goldberg, individual who can teach us how to how they achieve success from scratch, alright? However, I cannot be delusional. This is a different challenge than uh approaching solo podcasting or being a great host. If I identify where I am right now and think about the M, which stands for measurable, okay, I realize that if I continue at this pace with solo podcasting, I want to improve my skills as a great host, which is normal. Okay. Look at how good the smart time frame is. So I'm not saying that one day I'm not capable to interview Wuffie Hulver, but I'm saying that if I if I'm focused if my focus is on doing solo podcasting, I wouldn't be that great as great as other podcasters around there. Now let's go with the next letter R. So we did the S specific, M, to be measurable, A to achievable, okay? And also it's important to not be delusional. And R stands for relevant. What is the bigger picture for you guys? What are your core values? If you focus solely on money, you will not achieve anything meaningful, first of all. However, if you understand what money can provide, it can unlock a wealth of opportunities for you, you know, to help you reach your goals. It can support your your health and well-being, increase your freedom, improve your time with your people, allow you to follow a healthier diet without worrying about the cost, uh, give you more freedom with your family. So there are different values that you can uh you can uh highlight based off your past experiences. Alright, so what is what are your values then? What is the bigger picture for you? The most relevant factors that would help you reach your goal, okay? What are them? In my case, I well, I live far from my family, and I would like to see them more often, for example, which requires financial stability and importantly overall the freedom to travel when I want. Also, I love traveling. I love traveling because it creates lasting memories for my future. But I also you also need to go deeper and find deep purposes. So in my case, I like to give this personal example, guys, so you can uh connect as well as you can find yours. So in my case, I've made many mistakes over the past 10 years, all right? Which is why I'm passionate today about helping my listeners save time and avoid traps. And also, the idea that I may make a positive mark on the world for future generations drives me to go forward with my project. Okay, maybe this is a little bit self-centered though, very honest, but it's still something that drives me. Okay, it's still something that gives me energy to go forward. So, what is your bigger picture, guys? The more relevant your goals are to your values, the more energy you will have to pursue your purpose. Okay, remember that. Very, very important. Smart to so the to time bound. That is more about setting a deadline, okay? I'm not going to ask you to set a strict deadline to create a sense of urgency and a clear endpoint. Honestly, I don't like this idea either. I don't know about you, but having a deadline can create an overwhelming sense of pressure, you know, like, oh my god, what if I don't achieve my goal in a year? I would feel like a like a loser. Or something like, I want to promise myself to achieve this goal in a month, but what if I don't reach it? I will probably feel disappointed. You know, phrases like that. However, the truth is that setting a time goal can help speed up the process, even if it's uncomfortable, guys. I know it's mentally uncomfortable, but it helps, it helps a lot. My advice here is to avoid being mentally strict with yourself. Instead, set a deadline with a more, let's say, spiritual intention. Okay, for example, this year I decided to monetize my project, even though I had never done it before, you know. But I told myself, I told that I didn't know how to make even one year yet, but I needed to monetize my project before December. And it happened. It happened. This year, sorry, previous years, previous year, 2025, because I think you are least you are gonna listen this episode in 2026. Anyway, it happened, it happened, and I ended up making uh over 100 times more than I had initially expected, you know. So I reached my first$100 and even more. So I mentioned before to be more spiritually intentional. So in my case, every year I aim to achieve steps to see something different in my life, a progress. I need to see progress annually about my persona, so about my project with the podcast and substack with my community, but overall with myself as well, you know, with my personal situations as well. Outside the business environment. So this mindset, in the case of the business uh factor, for example, helped me reach my first$100. Another example. I know that in a year my life will become more expensive. So I need to achieve financial stability with my project. If I don't accomplish that, then uh I'm gonna cry. No, I'm joking. If I don't accomplish that, that's okay. That's okay. I still recognize that being intentional about my goals will take me farther than uh if I don't set a deadline, okay? So by focusing on a timeline connected to an important event or situation is an important way to speed up the process basically. Even if I don't fully reach my goal, even if you don't fully reach your goal, guys, I will still make significant pro progress toward it. Okay, and lastly, this approach will help me feel more accomplished. That's the technique I advise you to use, guys. So when you set unwritten deadlines with a more spiritual intention, do it not because you you wrote down a promise you need to keep, okay, but because. In your heart, you know you need to achieve a goal. Then it becomes also a valuable, let's say, end of the time frame. Because you will do your best to achieve that that goal, that measurable goal, but without stress, because this type of deadline is not about expectations, guys. It's more about the value you create once you reach them, okay? So eventually you'll be faster. Let's say that you don't reach your goal, anyway. You you'll be you'll you'll be faster than than ever, you know. You are going to be very close to to achieve them one day. And anyway, the reality is that if you don't push yourself a little bit, I mean who will? You need to be to push a little bit yourself, okay? So that's also an important point. Alright, alright. So I think we did everything. S M A R T smart. Smart time frame. So before we wrap up, let's highlight and understand a bit deeper what we actually did today, okay? Again, setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible. Tony Robin said that, I never said that, and today you've seen exactly why. We didn't just talk about smart goals, guys. We talked through the psychology behind them, through my my my experience, the experience of most of you probably, the emotional weight behind them and the real life consequences of not having them, you know. This is not theory, this is the foundation, the foundation of your grow, even if not so many people talk about it. We're talking about your clarity, about your future, you know. So let's quickly wrap up the five letters and their meanings. S specific. We understood the power of clarity, the danger of drifting in this case. So the years you can you can lose when you keep switching mountains, they can be huge, they can be many years. And we learned that being specific is not about pressure, but it's about direction. And this direction can help you to save more time, to save uh years, you know, in a way to reach your success. Measurable M. We saw how numbers become your compass, guys. How estimating your steps allows you to predict your future. And when you know your pace, you know your potential, you know. It removes the guesswork and gives you confidence. That's that's very I think the measurable one is my my favorite one, maybe because I like stats, I don't know. A for achievable. We talked about realism versus delusion, you know, how to dream big, but also stay grounded in what you can actually build with your current energy and skills, and how being honest about your strengths helps you avoid chasing illusions are for relevant. We explored the deeper picture, you know, your values, your purpose, the why, the why behind your goals. Because goals without meaning collapse quickly, guys, but goals rooted in your values carry you through difficulty, okay? And T, time bound, you learn that that lines don't need to be harsh, they can be spiritual, intentional, a gentle push that keeps you moving without crushing your motivation, okay? A way to show your your yourself progress every year so you you don't lose momentum. That's that's very important. This is maybe the best approach to use a deadline. Now, why does all of this matter? Because in my opinion, without this time frame, your life becomes reactive, but with smart goals with this time frame, your life becomes more intentional, guys. You stop chasing everything, you start building something, you stop waiting for luck and you start creating clarity, you stop hoping for change and you start you know misuring it, misuring them. And these this is what transformed the invisible into the visible, okay? So as we close today's episode, I want you to reflect for a moment. What is the mountain you truly want to climb? First of all, what would happen if you become specific today? What future could you predict if you understand measuring your steps? I realize I don't know how to say measurings, but that's that's a that's the problem that I'm gonna uh say for later. And how much progress could you make in a year with spiritual intentional deadlines, guys? You deserve that clarity, okay? You deserve that clarity, you deserve that progress, you deserve to see your life transform. And now I want to hear from you. What is one smart goal you want to commit uh in a way you know to achieve uh your purpose? Which ladder of the framework made you reflect the most? Send me a message, share your story, or connect with me on Substack. I always love hearing from you and learning about your journey. And if you enjoyed today's episode, guys, make sure you subscribe so you never miss an update. And please share this episode with someone who needs clarity, someone who is spinning between too many mountains, you know, someone who needs uh this framework to finally move forward. Thank you so much for being here with me on journey to success. Remember, intentions create directions, and directions create transformation. Okay, together we're turning the invisible into the visible. One step at a time. I'll see you in the next episode, guys. Cheers.