eesmärke

Eesmärk is the Estonian noun meaning goal, aim, or objective. The form eessmärk is nominative singular, while eesmärgi is the genitive singular, and eesmärgid the nominative plural. In usage, eesmärk refers to the desired end state that a person, organization, project or activity seeks to achieve. It is commonly used in planning, evaluation, education, sport and everyday decision making.

In practice, setting an eesmärk involves identifying a clear, concrete result and the conditions under which it will be considered achieved. Many contexts emphasize that goals should guide actions, prioritize resources and enable progress assessment. In Estonian planning discourse, SMART goals are often discussed: they should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound, sometimes translated and adapted as spetsiifilised, mõõdetavad, saavutatavad, asjakohased ja määratud tähtaegadega.

Different nuances exist between the terms eesmärk and siht. Eesmärk tends to describe the end result or desired condition, while siht can emphasize a target to be reached or a direction to move toward. In practice, the two words are frequently interchangeable, but authors may choose one based on nuance or emphasis.

Common contexts for using eesmärk include personal development plans, business strategy, project management, education and performance reviews. Examples: “Meie eesmärk on vähendada energiatarvet 20 protsenti järgmisel aastal” or “Õpilaste eesmärk on saavutada paremad tulemused eksamitulemustes.”

See also: goal setting, planning, performance measurement.