Burned out but ambitious? Modify SMART goals for sustainable success

High-achieving corporate professionals are well-known for their ambition, strong drive to succeed, ability to produce results, and tendency to overwork. But at what cost? Workplace burnout can be a byproduct of this strong work ethic and overwork, and it has become a national public health concern. The 2024 Workplace Mental Health Poll by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) revealed that 52% of employees feel burned out and 37% report that overwhelm affects their ability to work effectively.

You may be familiar with SMART goals, a framework designed to help people set and achieve objectives: 

• S = Specific

• M = Measurable

• A = Achievable

• R = Relevant or Realistic

• T = Time bound

However, for high-achievers - especially people-pleasing perfectionists - SMART goals can do more harm than good. Instead of providing motivation, they can become rigid benchmarks and used as another way to overwork and place more pressure on these individuals. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a more sustainable approach to achieving success by integrating values, adaptability, and self-compassion into goal setting. This post will examine how modifying SMART goals with ACT principles can lead to lasting achievement without sacrificing well-being, specifically:

• The pitfalls of traditional SMART goals for high achievers

• Rethinking SMART goals with ACT principles

• A smarter approach to SMART goals for burnout prevention

• Practical strategies to implement ACTified SMART Goals

• Sustainable success through smarter goal setting

The pitfalls of traditional SMART goals for high achievers

High achievers fall into three traps when they set extremely inflexible SMART goals:

1. Increases the likelihood of pressure, exhaustion, and overwhelm.

Originally, SMART goals were designed to keep people accountable for accomplishing things in a reasonable timeframe. But, high achievers, specifically ones who have people pleasing and perfectionistic tendencies, are prone to interpret them as rigid rules that they must follow, like treating a deadline as final say rather than as a guide. When people are too strict with SMART goal setting, it can inadvertently result in: 

• Overemphasis on results instead of the process of getting to the outcome (e.g., learning)

• More self-criticism and a fear of failure

• Hesitation or unwillingness to adjust goals because they may otherwise view themselves as failures.

So, instead of simply helping people get things done well and moving forward, using SMART goals without any flexibility can contribute to stress and burnout.

For example, a person who’s aiming for a promotion within six months may be working eighty-hour weeks to produce the results they promised their work team in a timely fashion but ignore signs of burnout, sacrificing wellbeing for achievement.

2. Increases the chance of falling into the “achievement trap.”

When high achievers view SMART goals as rules they must follow, they can fall into the “achievement trap” (Kumar & Jagacinski, 2004). Falling into this trap can lead people to equate their self-worth to their accomplishments, which contributes to perfectionism and self-imposed pressure (Bravata et al., 2019). 

And, if they don’t end up meeting the rigid SMART goal they’ve set for themselves, it can set off self-critical thoughts and feelings of inadequacy that can become part of Imposter Syndrome. Feigofsky (2022) suggested that one way to prevent or address Imposter Syndrome is by learning to set reasonable goals and expectations. 

A systematic review conducted by Bravata and colleagues (2019) found a prevalence rate of Imposter Syndrome among high achievers (across age groups) ranging between 9% to 82%, depending on the screening tool and cutoff scores used, and that it usually co-occurs with perfectionism, anxiety, and depression.   

3. It can hurt motivation.

The way that a high achiever frames SMART goals can greatly affect their motivation. SMART goals can boost it when they’re based on values - not just on getting recognition, a promotion, a higher compensation, or other external rewards. Also, SMART goals improve motivation when they provide clear guidance, structure, and measurable progress, while also giving individuals the permission to modify it if life - such as getting sick, or having to increase caretaking responsibilities - gets in the way. 

But, they can hurt motivation when they become too rigid or a hard-and-fast rule, which leads to frustration when there are unexpected complications. A high achiever can also lose motivation when they view SMART goals using black-and-white thinking, either putting in great effort when things are going well or putting in no effort when they experience setbacks.  

When SMART goals feel like a rigid to-do list, or rules that must be followed, instead of as a tool for progress, individuals tend to experience anxiety.  For example, a high-achieving professional sets a goal to complete 100% of her continuing education credits in the next month, but she ignores the fact that she will need to complete 36 hours on top of her 60-hour work weeks, which would lead to exhaustion and reduced engagement at work. 

A goal-setting approach that integrates achievement, motivation, with wellbeing would involve a shift from one that emphasizes rigid obligation to one that focuses on values-driven adaptation.

Rethinking SMART goals with ACT principles

An ACT-based approach—sometimes called “ACTified” SMART goals—shifts the focus from rigid achievement to values-driven growth with three main emphases.

1. Values-driven goals instead of outcome-based goals.

Traditional SMART goals focus on results (e.g., "Earn 36 CE credits in 30 days"). ACTified goals emphasize values (e.g., "Develop leadership skills through relevant CE courses to contribute meaningfully to my team").

2. Adaptability and psychological flexibility.

ACT encourages flexibility, allowing individuals to adjust goals without guilt or feeling like failures. For example, a manager aiming to increase customer satisfaction by 20% may reframe their goal if unexpected staffing cuts arise, focusing instead on team performance and innovation.

A key method to improving psychological flexibility and allowing goal modifications is by practicing cognitive defusion skills, an ACT strategy that helps individuals separate their self-worth from metrics like profitability and productivity.  

3. Self-compassion as a performance booster.

High achievers tend to be self-critical when they fall short of their goals. ACT incorporates self-compassion, improving resilience and performance. For example, reframe “I failed to increase revenue by 20%” as “I made meaningful progress by identifying revenue barriers and increasing profits by 12%.”

One practical ACT strategy is to take a self-compassion break to: pause, acknowledge struggles (for example, say to yourself, “This is a moment of suffering,” followed by “I’m not alone”), and offer kindness rather than self-criticism (for example, say to yourself, “May I give myself the compassion that I need”).  

A smarter approach to SMART goals for burnout prevention

S = Specific actions

Clearly describe the actions you’ll take. It’s essential to state the goal in terms of the things you’ll say and do - instead of the outcome you want to achieve - because the outcome you want to achieve isn’t guaranteed. You can make it more likely to achieve your goal through the actions you take. 

So, instead of “increase the revenue by 20%,” a more specific goal would be “schedule weekly 30-minute meetings to identify revenue barriers and implement at least three solutions to increase revenue.”  

M = Motivated by values 

Check yourself! Identify the values that are motivating this particular goal. Make sure that it’s not actually motivated by rigid rules that you feel that you must, have to, should, or ought to do.

For example, is your goal above driven by values like courage and creativity, or is it driven by a fear of failure? 

A = Adaptive

Adaptive refers to wisdom, or a “functional responsive effort.” With this in mind, ask yourself these questions:

• How likely is this goal going to improve my life? In what ways?

• How will this goal affect my health, well-being, quality of life, and closest relationships?

• Is it wise for me to pursue this goal, or does it need adjusting? 

R = Realistic

Take inventory of what your current resources are to fulfill your goal at this time. These resources would include time, money, physical health, mental health, energy level, social support, knowledge, and skills. 

If you don’t currently have an essential resource, you will need to adjust your goal to a more realistic one. 

Be honest with yourself and rate how realistic your goal is on a scale of 1-10 (1 = totally unrealistic - I’ll never do it, 10 = totally realistic - I’ll definitely do it!). 

If you can’t rate it at a 7 or higher, you’ll need to modify the goal to something easier, simpler, and/or smaller. If you need to, change the goal altogether.   

T = Time-framed 

Set a realistic timeline that you plan to accomplish your goal while also allowing flexibility for unexpected life events. As accurately as possible, specify the day, date, and time that you will take action.  

Practical strategies to implement ACTified SMART goals

1. Use mindfulness strategies to focus on SMART goals without judgment.

Check in and reflect on the progress that you’re making on your goal, not just on the outcome you want. Take 5 minutes every day to assess if the goal continues to align with your values and wellbeing, and if it continues to be realistic with the resources that you currently have. Give yourself permission to tweak your goal if the answer to any of the questions you reflect on is a “no.”

2. Separate self-worth from the outcome.

Change your relationship with the negative thoughts that come up. Recognize that self-criticisms like “I’m such a failure. I’m never going to be good enough if I don’t make this happen” and rigid rules like “I must succeed” are just thoughts, specifically cognitive distortions. Although they feel true, they are NOT facts.

When you have a thought like “I’m never going to be good enough if I don’t make this happen,” distance yourself from it. Notice and name the thought and feelings that you experience without judgment (like, “There’s that ‘not-good enough’ story coming up again”). Consider reframing negative self-talk with “This is just my inner critic speaking, not reality.” Then, ground yourself in the moment, especially when it’s activating. 

3. Focus on committed action - not perfectionism.

ACT encourages taking steps that are aligned with your values, even when they are difficult or uncomfortable to do. 

For example, instead of avoiding having a difficult conversation with a colleague and/or waiting for the perfect moment to have it, take small, consistent steps toward it: draft key points, practice assertiveness, and choose the right time and place to have the conversation.

4. Use self-compassion breaks to reframe setbacks as learning opportunities.

When facing challenges, pause and ask yourself how you would encourage your best friend in this situation. 

When you call the difficult situation to mind, do the following:

• Feel the emotional discomfort in your body.  

• Allow yourself to observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment.

• Acknowledge it as a moment of suffering for you.

• Recognize that everyone experiences setbacks, struggles, and disappointment, which can normalize it instead of viewing it as a personal failing.

• Tell yourself what you need to hear in the moment that radiates kindness. This might include a go-to phrase (May I forgive myself) or a reframe (Everyone makes mistakes, and I can learn from this one).

Conclusion and next steps: Sustainable success through smarter goal setting

Instead of setting SMART goals in the traditional way, which can put you at risk of burnout if you’re not careful, ACTify them to make progress that considers your values, resources, and health and well-being. As a high achiever with people pleasing and perfectionistic tendencies, give yourself permission to assess whether and how your goals are truly life-enhancing - and to make changes if they aren’t serving you anymore. Most importantly, embrace self-compassion as your secret sauce to making all the SMART components stick. 

If you’d like tailored support, request a free consultation to learn how I can help.