Have You Set Those Goals?

Last week I wrote about the importance of setting goals. Have you thought about what your goals are yet? Have you identified your plan? Be honest. Are you struggling?
We all have ideas about what we would like to do more of, or change about ourselves: eat better, lose weight, tighten and tone, or improve health. That’s the easy part; we can all find something we want to change. Converting these desired changes into goals is where some people struggle.
When setting goals for myself or working with a client to define their goals I use the SMART acronym to help guide me through the process:
S – Specific. Whether your goal is to lose weight or run a marathon you need to clearly define your goal and how you are going to reach it. Are you going to lose 5 pounds or 25 pounds? Once you have decided how much weight you are going to lose you need to figure out how you are going to get there. Consider all your options and figure out what works best for you and your lifestyle.
M – Measurable. What good is a goal that you can’t measure? You need to know what success looks like and with a measurable goal success is simple to define. Weight loss is an easy one and can obviously be measured through pounds or kilograms. How would you measure running? You could consider the number of days you run each week, the distance you run or the amount of time you run each session.
A – Attainable. Ensure your goals are attainable! Consider your health and what is realistic. It may be possible to lose 10 pounds in 10 days but it is not healthy. It is also not realistic to believe you can hop off the couch and lose 100 pounds in a month. That just doesn’t happen. If your goal is not realistic you will get discouraged fast.
R – Relevant. I struggle with this one; if you want something bad enough it is relevant. When you identify with what is important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make it work. You develop the attitudes, abilities, and skills to meet them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to achieving your goals.
T – Timeline. Attach a timeline to all of your goals; “someday” won’t work! Is this a short term goal or long term? Define a timeline and remember that it must be attainable. Don’t be too easy on yourself either.
This is the method I use when defining my short and long term goals. While I have related this to fitness, using this strategy can help you develop a plan to reach any goal you have.
Now get to it. Stop wishing for changes. Get serious about what you want. Define your goals and work on a plan to meet them and make it happen.