Setting Goals
Let’s talk about goals. I know this can seem boring, but goals can make or break a person. Many of you may have already heard about SMART goals (it stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable and Relevant). I feel like attainable is the most important. I say that because if you are not achieving your goals, then the goal is likely too big/not attainable, so, make it smaller and keep making it smaller and smaller until you are attaining the goal. There is nothing wrong with tiny goals.
An example:
My goal is to get healthy. That is great, but what does getting healthy look like? Is it losing weight, going to the gym more, going to therapy, more sleeping or all of the above? So, let’s say it’s going to the gym more. Great…what does “more” mean? How many days a week? Do you want to increase the time spent there or exercises you do? Also remember multiple days equals multiple goals. What does that mean? Well stating, my goal is to go to the gym 4 days a week. Well, that is 4 goals. So, you go 3 times out of 4, you met 3 goals! Woah, good job! This does not equal I didn’t go 4 times, so I failed my goal. You want to set yourself up for success, the more goals you reach the more you will be inclined to keep meeting them and stay motived.
So lets break this down into SMART Goals:
Not a great goal:
· Specific: I will get healthy
· Measurable: I will lose 100 lbs
· Attainable: I have two months
· Relevant: My mom wants me to lose weight
Better goal:
· Specific: I will go the gym on Monday. (What are you doing and when)
· Measurable: If I go to the gym on Monday and workout for a minimum of 20 minutes that is success (exact time, date, amount etc., what is success?)
· Attainable: No – have no other plans on Mondays (Can I go to the gym on Mondays? Is there anything that would get in my way?
· Relevant: I have high cholesterol and a fatty liver and diabetes; this will help with those issues. (Why am I trying to achieve this goal? Does it align with a bigger goal? Am I doing it for my own reasons or for others? Own reasons always work out best.)
Not Meeting Your Goals?
Moving back to the going to the gym on Monday goal. If you find you are not doing that, perhaps Monday isn’t a good day, perhaps 20 minutes it too hard of a goal. Perhaps your goal should just be to get to the gym and do one exercise. If you find you meet that then you can make it harder. If that is too hard, then maybe your goal is just to put on your gym clothes on Mondays and drive to the gym. The point is, if you are not attaining your goals, MAKE IT SMALLER AND SMALLER AND SMALLER UNTIL YOU ARE MEETING YOUR GOALS.
Let’s do one more example
Not a great goal:
· Specific: I am going to eat less sugar
· Measurable: I don’t know, just less
· Attainable: I have 1 week to do this
· Relevant: Just because, sugar is bad
Better goal
· Specific: I will decrease the amount of sugar I put in my tea
· Measurable: 2 less teaspoons, starting tomorrow (as I drink tea every morning, this is 7 goals every week)
· Attainable: Yes, easy to do and I can use a measuring spoon
· Relevant: My blood sugar is high, so this will help
An additional goal may also be:
· Specific: Only buy 1 chocolate bar when I get groceries
· Measurable: Check in after a month
· Attainable: Yes, totally, I can go down from 7 to 1, no problem!
· Relevant: Yes, due to blood sugar this needs to happen and grocery shopping it within my control
Adjust Your Goal
Let say you aren’t successful, perhaps you expected you could go from 7 chocolate bars down to 1 just like that. You find you are still getting 5 bars. Ok, then maybe set your goal to 5. The next month 4 and so on. Or perhaps you change it to 4 chocolate bars and 1 healthy bar. Basically, adapt your goals, make it so you can complete them. If you set the bar too high, you will likely fail. Set the bar low and once you are consistently meeting the goal, then you can set the bar higher if you want.
I also feel like the A should stand for Accountable. How are you keeping yourself accountable? Often it helps to have someone else involved, a friend who is maybe trying to achieve the same goal, or someone you just tell when you meet a goal or are struggling to meet a goal or someone you can meet up with trying to achieve the goal. You don’t have to do this alone!
Good luck!
