Hello! Today I want to give you seven goal setting tips. After all, if you don’t have a goal how will you know when you have achieved? And if you don’t define success, how will you reward yourself?
I am sure you are familiar with the SMART method of goal setting. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound targets or goals will make it easier to know when you have achieved, and it’ll make your goal more likely to happen.
Examples:
“lose some weight” which is certainly not SMART. Compare this to “lose 10lbs of fat in the next 8 weeks (by 30th Oct 2012)”. This is a much more specific goal. Imagine how this person will feel when they have achieved it.
Which brings me on to my next point:
7 goal setting tips
- Make your goal a positive statement: Express your goals positively eg– ‘Eat nutrient dense foods’ is a much better goal than ‘avoid sugary drinks’.
- Precision: Make your goal precise and measurable, and by when. This way you know when you have made it, and so you can reward yourself – in a non-detrimental way of course.
- Prioritise: Give each goal a priority and avoid feeling overwhelmed with too many goals.
- Write goals down: This is a big one! It feels silly sometimes but has been shown to be effective in making your goals become a reality.
- Keep operational goals small: Chunk big goals so you are working towards small and achievable ones. If a goal is too large, then it can seem intangible.
- Performance goals, not outcome: These are more likely to be under your control, and you can succeed with process even if an outcome has yet to be achieved.
- Set realistic goals: Back to point 5. Keep the goal realistic and tangible. In terms of weight loss don’t aim to lose more than 2lbs weekly, and in terms of fitness, the fitter you become the more challenging it is to increase this. Be inspired but maintain a realistic goal.
So, before you embark on your weight loss and fitness challenges, please take the time to set SMART goals, and take the tips above in consideration when setting goals. I hope this helps, and of course if you have any questions please do ask in the comments below.
Happy goal setting!
Nico.