Reliable in SMART goals requires which characteristic?

• A. Consistency From Test To Test
• B. Instant Feedback After Each Attempt
• C. Unlimited Time
• D. External Validation Only

Answer: (A)

Reliability is about getting stable, consistent measurements across repeated attempts. In SMART goals, you want the way you measure progress to be dependable so you can trust whether you’re really improving or just seeing random variation. The best choice reflects that need for consistency over time or trials—so the measurement yields similar results when conditions are the same.

Instant feedback after each attempt isn’t about stability of the metric itself, just how quickly you learn from results. Unlimited time can change testing conditions and introduce extra variability, harming reliability. External validation focuses on others’ judgments, which doesn’t by itself ensure your own measurement is consistent.