SMART Goals: Design the Life You Want

Your dreams deserve a plan! Align Tarot with the SMART Goals framework to bring clarity, action, and manifestation into your life.

“A dream written down with a date becomes a goal.

A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan.

A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true.”

- Greg Reid

Manifestation requires more than just seeing pretty pictures on a vision board—it requires a strategy to make it happen. One of my favorite tools for designing the life I want is the Tarot. Not only do I use it for self-reflection and decision-making, but I also incorporate it into setting SMART goals—a framework that ensures goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

I looked through the Tarot deck to see which Major Arcana cards align with this framework, and here’s what I discovered:

S – Be Specific with The Magician

The Magician reminds us that we have all the tools we need to manifest our desires. He works with creativity (fire/wands), practicality (earth/pentacles), intellect (air/swords), and intuition (water/cups).

Action Step: Write down your goal and make it as specific as possible. Instead of "I want to be healthier," say, "I will practice yoga three times a week to improve flexibility and reduce stress."

M – Measure Progress with The Emperor

The Emperor is all about structure and foundations. He encourages us to define metrics so we can track progress and celebrate achievements.

Action Step: Identify measurable signs of success. If your goal is financial stability, define a clear target: "Save $5,000 by the end of the year."

A – Take Action with The Chariot

The Chariot moves forward with purpose, focus, and discipline. He represents the drive needed to overcome obstacles and reach your destination.

Action Step: What steps can you take today to move toward your goal? If your goal is writing a book, an action step might be: "Write 500 words daily."

R – Stay Realistic with Justice

Justice is about honesty and alignment. This card invites you to reflect on whether your goal is realistic and aligns with your personal values.

Action Step: Ask yourself: Do I have the resources to achieve this? If not, what’s missing? If your goal is to launch a business, do you have the financial backing or a plan to secure it?

T – Set a Timeline with The World

The World represents completion and achievement. Setting a timeline creates accountability and momentum.

Action Step: Establish deadlines: What can you achieve in six weeks? Six months? A year? Write it down and commit.

SMART Goals Prompts

1. Specific: Write down your goal be as specific as possible.

2. Measurable: What metrics do you have in place to keep your goals on track?

3. Attainable: What actions can you take today to reach your goal?

4. Relevant: Do you have the resources and capacity to attain the goal? If not, what are you missing?

5. Time Bound: What is the target accomplishment date?

Use Tarot to quickly identify challenges, strategies, wisdom, and actions to reach your goal

SMART Goals Tarot Spread

1. What is my goal? Go through deck - face up - and pick a card that represents your goal.

2. What challenges do I have to look out for?

3. What strategy will help resolve the challenges?

4. What wisdom do I gain from overcoming this challenge?

5. What action can I implement right now?

   
   

TIP: Move card number 5 to the number 1 position and find challenges, strategies, wisdom and another action.

Example SMART Goals Tarot Reading

1. Goal: The King of Pentacles - Start a business that provides a sustainable income (card chosen consciously)

2. Challenge: Five of Swords - Fear of failure, self-doubt, or worrying about what others think.

3. Strategy: Ace of Wands - Lean into creativity, personal will, and enthusiasm.

4. Wisdom: Wheel of Fortune - Life is always changing, success comes from adaptability.

5. Action: Four of Cups - Reach out to potential customers and offer value today.

   
   

Let me know how this method works for you in the comments section.