Successful Goal Setting

How many times does this happen?  

You set a goal or a New Years Resolution and then 2 weeks goes by, and you forget about it. It gets too difficult to maintain, you get frustrated and quit.

You have a good goal but you just cant achieve it. 

 A lot of times it has nothing to do with your goals, but HOW you set them.

 Here are some tips on how to set your goals so that you actually are more successful:

Set system based goals, not outcomes

How many times do you tell yourself “I want to eat healthier?” Ok but what does that even mean? Do you want to eat less chocolate? Do you want to eat more vegetables? Do you want to cook more and eat out less? 

 Eating healthier is an outcome based on your actions and habits.  So you must create a system that becomes that specific outcome. 

-I will bring my lunch to work 4 days a week
-I will have half a plate of vegetables at dinner every day
-I will have a cookie after lunch on Tuesdays and Fridays instead of 6 days a week

Create S.M.A.R.T. goals

“I want to get fit this year”

The infamous New Years Resolution

How can you make this a SMART-er goal

SPECIFIC

I want to lose 10lbs. You can be even more detailed than this.

MEASURABLE

I want to exercise 3 days a week for 45 minutes.
3 days, 45 minutes. All measurable. 

ATTAINABLE

I want to run a marathon next month… even though you haven’t ran in 10 years, except for after the ice cream truck.  It may not be attainable in a month, maybe give yourself more time then it can be done.

 RELATIVE

I want to lose weight and I signed up for 2 guitar lessons a week. Unless youre playing the guitar while jumping for an hour you may not burn enough calories to make this plan relative to your goal.

 TIMELY 

I want to lose 10lbs in 3 months. Very attainable time frame!

This now SMART goal you set has more potential to become successful.

Adjust when necessary

If you keep telling yourself you want to workout 5 days a week and you manage to only hit 2 or 3 days, sometimes its better to adjust what your goal is. When we are always falling short of the goal, we unknowingly create a negative feedback loop, where we end up thinking, well I’m not even close to reaching my goal and this is the 4^thweek I’ve tried, I’m just going to give up and stop. Well now you're back to zero.  Instead, adjust your plan to 3 days a week, become successful with that goal and then build on it.

 Break your goals into actionable steps

Your goals can sometimes be overwhelming and you may not know where to even start. When you break it down and take it one day at a time, it becomes so much more doable. 

Lets use the vegetable example; I want to have half a plate of vegetables for dinner every day.

Lets break it down:

To eat the vegetables, I must have the vegetables in my fridge.
To have the vegetables, I must buy the vegetables at the store.
To go to the store, I have to make a list of what I need.
Start there, make a list.

Try not to let them rot in the fridge though, oops hehe. Guilty.

Breaking down your goals make them more real and doable.

Keep it simple

Are you going to be consistent with a plan that has 17 steps, or 4 steps? Make it easy for yourself, then you will actually do it!

ENJOY IT

Listen if you absolutely hate going to the gym and its not for you, there are other ways to get fit, go rollerblading, go for walks (underrated), go rock climbing, take a dance class. Find what you enjoy and if it is relative to your goal then do it. It has to be relative, you can’t want to get fit and sit on the couch all the time. Sorry.

Also finding a balance between doing what you don’t like but have to do, and also doing what you really like to do is a great way to become successful. Its not all going to be sunshine and roses. 

Maida, Founder and Owner
Women Who Lift