Real-world examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing

Starting with real examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing

Instead of beginning with theory, let’s jump straight into what people actually say in sessions. Below are real-to-life examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing, written in the kind of language you’d hear from clients, not textbooks.

You’ll notice three things about every example:

• The client’s own words and values are front and center.
• The goal is small enough to feel do-able, but specific enough to track.
• The goal fits where the client is on the motivation/readiness spectrum.

Then we’ll unpack how to build these goals step by step.

Health behavior: examples of SMART goals for exercise

Imagine a client who says, “I know I should exercise more, but I’m exhausted after work.” In motivational interviewing, we wouldn’t jump to a 5-day workout plan. We’d explore importance, confidence, and barriers first. When they’re ready, here’s what an example of a SMART goal might sound like:

“For the next 2 weeks, I will walk around my block for 15 minutes after dinner on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, as long as it’s not raining.”

This is Specific (walking, after dinner, on certain days), Measurable (15 minutes), Achievable (three short walks), Relevant (fits their health goal and energy level), and Time-bound (2 weeks).

Other real examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing around exercise could include:

• A client with knee pain:

  “For the next month, I will do my physical therapy stretches for 10 minutes on weekdays right after I brush my teeth at night.”

• A busy parent:

  “For the next 3 weeks, I’ll take the stairs instead of the elevator at work at least once per day, Monday through Friday.”

These examples of SMART goals respect real-life limits: fatigue, pain, childcare, time pressure. They’re not about perfection. They’re about creating a small, believable success that builds confidence.

If you’d like to ground your health goals in evidence-based recommendations, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides current physical activity guidelines here: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/index.html

Substance use: gentle, realistic examples of SMART goals

Motivational interviewing is widely used in addiction treatment because it honors ambivalence. Many clients are not ready to commit to total abstinence on day one. SMART goals let you meet them where they are.

Here’s a realistic example of a SMART goal for someone who drinks heavily but is not ready to quit completely:

“For the next 7 days, I will have no more than 3 beers on any day, and I will have at least 2 alcohol-free days: Tuesday and Thursday.”

That may not look dramatic, but for some clients it’s a big shift. Another client might set this goal:

“For the next 2 weeks, I will not drink before 5 p.m. on weekdays, and I will track each drink in a note on my phone.”

As motivation grows, the goals can evolve:

“Starting this Monday, I will not drink alcohol at all for 30 days. I’ll text my sponsor each evening by 9 p.m. to check in.”

These examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing are not about what you think the client should do. They’re about what the client is willing to try, in line with harm reduction or abstinence—whichever fits their stage of change.

For more on evidence-based approaches to alcohol use, you can explore resources from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): https://www.niaaa.nih.gov

Mental health: examples include mood, anxiety, and self-care

SMART goals are not just for physical health or substance use. They fit beautifully into mental health work when done with sensitivity. The key is to avoid turning emotions into rigid performance targets and instead focus on behaviors that support well-being.

Here’s an example of a SMART goal for depression, where even basic tasks feel heavy:

“For the next 10 days, I will get out of bed by 9:00 a.m. on weekdays and open the curtains, even if I sit back down afterward.”

It’s small, but it’s a meaningful behavioral shift. Another client with anxiety might say:

“For the next 2 weeks, I will practice the deep breathing exercise we did in session for 3 minutes before I check my email in the morning, at least 4 days per week.”

Or for someone working on social anxiety:

“Over the next month, I will start one short conversation per week with a coworker (about anything: weather, weekend plans, projects) and write down how it went that evening.”

These real examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing focus on actions, not forcing feelings to change on command. The feelings often shift as a side effect of consistent, realistic action.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) offers updated information on depression, anxiety, and evidence-based treatments here: https://www.nimh.nih.gov

Lifestyle and habit change: food, sleep, and screen time

Many coaching and counseling clients come in with vague lifestyle wishes: “I want to eat better,” “I need more sleep,” “I’m always on my phone.” In motivational interviewing, we turn those wishes into concrete, client-driven experiments.

Eating habits: small, specific shifts

Instead of “I’ll eat healthy,” an example of a SMART goal might be:

“For the next 3 weeks, I will add one serving of vegetables to either lunch or dinner at least 5 days per week.”

Or for someone who drinks a lot of soda:

“For the next 14 days, I will replace my usual afternoon soda with water or unsweetened tea on weekdays.”

Notice that we’re not overhauling the entire diet. We’re creating a narrow, trackable shift that the client believes they can actually do.

Sleep and nighttime routines

A client who scrolls in bed until midnight might create this SMART goal:

“For the next 2 weeks, I will plug my phone in to charge in the kitchen by 10:30 p.m. on weeknights and read a book or magazine in bed instead.”

Another might say:

“For the next month, I will aim to be in bed with the lights off by 11:00 p.m. at least 4 nights per week.”

These examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing for sleep focus on controllable behaviors (phone location, lights off time) rather than trying to force the body to fall asleep on cue.

For science-backed guidance on sleep and health, Mayo Clinic offers accessible resources: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle

How to build the best examples of SMART goals in MI sessions

Now that you’ve seen many examples, let’s pull back the curtain on how to build these goals collaboratively in motivational interviewing.

1. Start from the client’s language and values

In MI, the goal emerges from the client’s own reasons for change. You listen for change talk:

• “I’m tired of feeling this way.”
• “I miss playing with my kids without getting winded.”
• “I hate waking up hungover.”

Then you ask permission to work on a small, specific step:
“Would it be okay if we turned that into a short-term goal you could try this week?”

The best examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing sound like the client, not like a worksheet. If the client says, “I wanna cut back on junk,” the goal might keep that phrase:

“For the next 10 days, I’ll skip junk food after 8 p.m. on weeknights.”

2. Check each part of SMART out loud

You don’t have to say “Now let’s check if it’s SMART,” like you’re reading from a manual. Instead, you weave it naturally into the conversation:

• Specific: “What exactly will you do?”
• Measurable: “How will you know if you did it?”
• Achievable: “On a scale of 0–10, how confident are you that you can do this?”
• Relevant: “How does this connect to what matters most to you?”
• Time-bound: “When will you start? For how long will you try this?”

If confidence is below about 7 out of 10, MI practitioners often shrink the goal. That’s how many of the real examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing become so small—and so effective.

3. Honor ambivalence and partial goals

Sometimes the example of a SMART goal that fits is not a full behavior change, but a step toward clarity. For instance:

“Over the next week, I will write down every time I smoke and what I was feeling right before, at least 5 days out of 7.”

That’s a SMART goal focused on awareness, not immediate quitting. In MI, that’s perfectly valid. Data-gathering goals can reduce defensiveness and build insight.

4. Include support and environment when possible

Some of the best examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing include a social or environmental tweak:

• “I’ll text my friend on Sunday nights to tell her which 3 days I plan to walk.”
• “I’ll keep my running shoes by the front door so I see them when I get home.”

These small design choices make the behavior easier and less dependent on willpower alone, echoing what behavior science research has been emphasizing strongly in 2024–2025.

2024–2025 trends: how SMART goals and MI are evolving

Over the past few years, several trends have shaped how practitioners use SMART goals in motivational interviewing:

More focus on tiny habits and “minimum viable change”

Behavior change research, including work popularized by BJ Fogg and others, has pushed many MI-informed coaches and clinicians to favor tiny, almost laughably small goals. Instead of “go to the gym 4 times a week,” the first step might be:

“For the next 7 days, I will put on my workout clothes after work at least 3 evenings per week, even if I only exercise for 5 minutes.”

In MI, these micro-goals are especially helpful for clients with low confidence or a long history of feeling like they’ve “failed” at change.

Integrating digital tools

In 2024–2025, more clients track goals through apps, wearables, or simple phone notes. Examples include:

• Logging drinks in a smartphone note after each one.
• Using a step counter to see whether the “15-minute walk” goal happened.
• Setting calendar reminders for medication or therapy homework.

MI practitioners still keep autonomy at the center: the client chooses whether and how to track.

Trauma-informed and culturally aware goal setting

There’s growing awareness that not everyone has equal access to time, safety, or resources. The best examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing now explicitly consider:

• Safety (for example, walking indoors at a mall instead of outside at night).
• Cultural food practices when discussing eating goals.
• Economic constraints (choosing free or low-cost options).

This keeps goals respectful, realistic, and aligned with the client’s lived reality.

Frequently asked questions about SMART goals in MI

What are some simple examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing for beginners?

For someone just starting, you might hear goals like:

• “For the next week, I’ll drink one glass of water before my morning coffee every day.”
• “For the next 10 days, I’ll take a 5-minute stretch break during my lunch at work at least 4 days.”

These are simple, low-pressure examples of SMART goals that build a sense of success.

Can you give an example of a SMART goal that respects ambivalence?

Yes. An MI-consistent example might be:

“Over the next 2 weeks, I’ll write down every time I vape and rate my craving from 0–10 at least once per day.”

The goal doesn’t demand quitting. It invites curiosity and awareness, which often softens resistance.

How many SMART goals should a client have at once?

In motivational interviewing, fewer is usually better. One or two well-chosen goals that the client feels confident about tend to work better than a long list. The focus is on building momentum and self-efficacy, not creating a perfectionistic to-do list.

Are SMART goals always the right tool in MI?

Not always. If a client is very early in the change process (precontemplation), pushing for a SMART goal can feel premature. In those cases, MI focuses more on exploring ambivalence, eliciting change talk, and building discrepancy. SMART goals fit best when the client shows at least some readiness or curiosity about trying a new behavior.

Where can I learn more about motivational interviewing and behavior change?

You can find high-quality information and training resources through organizations like the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT): https://motivationalinterviewing.org. For broader behavior and health research, U.S. government and academic sites such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at https://www.nih.gov and major medical centers like Mayo Clinic offer up-to-date, research-informed content.

When you look back at all of these real examples of SMART goals in motivational interviewing, a pattern appears: none of them are glamorous. They’re small, specific, and deeply personal. And that’s the point.

In MI, the “magic” isn’t in the acronym itself. It’s in the respectful, collaborative conversation that leads a person to say, in their own words: “Here’s one small thing I’m willing to try.” SMART goals just give that decision a clear shape, a time frame, and a way to notice success—one realistic step at a time.