After you have developed SMART goals (for instance, using lecture recordings to clarify a difficult online lecture), the next step is taking action to successfully implement these goals. Implementing your SMART goals requires planning, executing, and monitoring your progress towards your goals. 

Planning

• Thoroughly establish the subgoals that will lead to you successfully completing your SMART goal. Think about exactly what you need to do and when to achieve your goal. Creating an explicit link between what you have to do and when you have to do it increases the likelihood of the goal being implemented.

Executing

• Take concrete and decisive action to implement the subgoals.

Monitoring

• As you work towards your goal, take note of things that are going well and things that are not going so well. Update your SMART goals (and subgoals) accordingly.

Here are some top tips for implementing your SMART lecture goals:

1. Insert your subgoals into your weekly planner.
2. Make your subgoals high priority in your planner and complete them early in the day.
3. Use a daily planner app on your phone to further breakdown the daily steps you can take.
4. Write your SMART goal somewhere you will see it daily.
5. Check off the subgoal milestones as you complete them so you can see the progress that you are making (use a checklist app).
6. Share your SMART goals with other people (for example, a study group) so you can be supported and encouraged by others. You might even be held accountable!
7. Collect all the materials you need to implement your goal in advance.
8. Complete at least one action per day.
9. Reward yourself when you implement your SMART goals.