December 16, 2018: SMART Goals
My weekly Get Your Stuff Together Sunday email series gives you one actionable focus for the week that will make your life a little easier.
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Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” With the type of goal setting I’ll show you here, you plan is baked in to your goal. Easy! This week, we’re going to talk about setting goals that will get you where you want to go. It’s never too early to start on your 2019 goals.
Play the long game
How many times have you started a new fitness or nutrition program or other healthy change just to give up a week or two in because you weren’t achieving the results you wanted? Be honest. Most of us have done it. I have!
Living in an instant gratification society makes it tough to wait for things we want. But, the truth is that with your health, you’re playing the long game. Sure, it’s fun to see quick results with crash diets and extreme changes, but does it last? Almost never.
Get SMART
SMART is an acronym for each step of setting a helpful goal – one that you can accomplish and sustain.
S = Specific. A specific goal sets boundaries and helps you know exactly what success looks like.
M = Measurable. The measurable part of a goal answers the question, how will you measure your progress?
A = Actionable. The goal needs to be one where you know what action to take to achieve it. Can you take methodical steps that lead you to success? Could you create a to-do list that eventually leads you to goal completion?
R = Realistic. Is this goal something that, though possibly a stretch, can be reached? Consider the availability of resources, knowledge and time you need to be successful.
T = Timebound. When do you want to be able to accomplish this goal by? There has to be a finish line.
The SMART framework has been used in multiple industries to go from zero to goal attainment. These SMART elements come together to make goals that can be planned and measured and, therefore, lead to success.
The more your goals follow this recipe for success, the easier they will be to plan, the clearer you’ll be on your progress or need to change things up, and the more motivated you will be since you know what you need to do to be successful.
Next Sunday, we’ll talk about preparing for the new year. It’s almost here!
Do you have a friend who could stand to G(her)ST? Feel free to forward this!
I hope you have a wonderful week,
Kelly
Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.
Tsirona - www.tsirona.com
My weekly GYSTS email give you one actionable thing to do for the week that will make you life a little easier. As "they" say, "Fail to plan; plan to fail." Get these emails (and more!) delivered right to your inbox by clicking HERE.