How to Get Back on Track with Your Goals
Most of us have lofty goals at the beginning of the year, but most people quit by the end of February. Making changes is tough and finding time is difficult. With a couple of small shifts, you can restart your goals and actually achieve them this year.
1. Whittle your goals down to three. From the three, choose the one that will have the greatest impact on your life, and focus on accomplishing that goal.
2. Make your goal a priority. What gets scheduled gets done. If your goal is to exercise five days a week, get your calendar out and schedule your workouts. If your goal is to drink seven glasses of water a day, set a timer on your phone for every two hours. When the timer goes off, go chug that glass of water. Execution is easier and more likely to occur if you schedule the tasks in advance.
3. Make your goal SMART. Making a goal SMART will greatly increase your chances of achieving it.
S-Specific-You won’t make progress if your goal is vague. Telling yourself that you’re going to “eat better” is too general. Setting a goal of eating five veggies a day is specific. If you want to learn a second language, saying, “I’m going to practice French” is too vague. If you state, I’m going to practice French for 15 minutes a day, five days a week, using the Duolingo app, that’s making your goal specific.
M-Measurable-Anyone should be able to easily measure your progress. Deciding to “save some money” is not measurable. Stating that you will save $100 every payday is something that is easily measured. Either you did or you didn’t. Saying, I’m going to “exercise more” is hard to measure. Saying, “I will exercise for 30 minutes a day, five days a week”, can be measured.
A-Attainable-Your goals should require you to work and stretch, but they should also be attainable. I’m under 5’tall, so a goal to play in the NBA would not be attainable for me. However, learning to play golf is an attainable goal for me.
R-Relevant-Your goals should be relevant to your life. If the women in your office are all training to run a half marathon, but you’re content to exercise in your family room with DVDs, the half marathon training goals are not relevant to you at this point. Choose another wellness goal that interests you. The thought of completing your goal should make you feel accomplished and happy.
T-Time Bound-You must give yourself a realistic deadline. For instance, if you want to earn a degree or a certificate, assess what needs to be done and set a deadline. It should be an aggressive deadline, but something that you can do if you push yourself. It’s a thrill to finish a goal before your deadline, but it’s okay to adjust the deadline to give yourself more time. Life happens.
Consider your goals in light of what you just read. Which one is the most important? What can you schedule right now to get you closer to achieving your life altering goal? Make the goal SMART. Implement these changes, and you will see progress.
