Smart Goals
Does your heart drop with words like that?
Mine used to, they made no sense to me as it was just one of those things people do the real world doesn’t work like that right?
Well as a coach I have helped people pick this apart so many times I have now become a fan, so I am going to attempt to make you a fan as well!
If you want those new year’s goals to stick then you got to make them smart instead of all in and all out the door as fast as that drink on the 3rd of January!
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-based
So thats the acronym, what are you going to do with it? I am going to take that get fit new year resolution everyone makes and pick at it, change this to whatever works for you!
Specific
You want to get fit that’s great! What does fit look like for you?
Is it walking up the stairs and having breath left, running a marathon? Swimming in the pool, walking miles. What is your get fit goal?
Some questions to ask you no searching for answers listen to yourself not the internet.
What does fit look like to you?
Is there a health goal to underline this?
What will your exercise habit look like in 6 months
Measurable
How will you recognize the progress you make?
Do you have a timeline planned in your head? How will you recognize each milestone of that goal?
I can walk up the hill and not stop at the top! What will I do to recognize that achievement and where is the next step?
Break down how you will measure success.
Some suggestions could be journalling emotions while exercising watching that growth mindset, Pamper yourself, and Visit new places, especially if you would have considered them a struggle in the past ( find somewhere up a big hill!)
Attainable
What is actually realistic? This is something that a lot of people get stuck on they set the impossible and then feel down when it doesn't work.
Ever sat there and set a realistic goal and in your head, you still expect that unrealistic goal you would love to happen!
Sit and really think set a goal that is realistic and then focus on that!
Write it down and speak to others!
This is one of those avoid media ones we are given so many unrealistic examples ploughing them into the brain that it stands no chance of accepting that quietly written realistic goal!
Empower realism!
How?
Idealism motivates, it just does but then the reality crashes in there are many ways to work with this but on a quick level.
1. make your ideas more realistic talk to people who took the time and got fit ( real people) take time to talk to trainers and people who work in the industry!
2. Don’t drop your ideal levels and that idea image but do be realistic with time and steps!
Relevant
You're wanting to get fit, you know what that looks like but how does it really fit with you?
What do you value in life?
This can link to the specific nature of goals if you dug deep enough
How does this fit into your life and how do you want it to be?
For example, I am not a 5 am person but every year past I have decided I would get up early and go for a walk!
What does that look like after no sleep, the dog getting me up at 3 for a wee, the kids jumping on the bed at 5 and my partner won't get up cause they had a hard night?
The reality of 5 am will not work for me! Maybe I can push it into a new habit and if that is you then I am impressed with the self-discipline, some people can really have down and kick these new habits into gear.
If it isn’t you?
Then why are you even trying? What value and reality made that 5 am run relevant to your life?
Not, because they said it was good for you answers please, as nothing that causes as much stress as that 5 am could possibly be good for my individual self!
Dig into what works for you, and build in that activity in your life!
Maybe an evening walk would work better, home videos, the gym
Realistically which are you going to be able to fit into life long term
Time-based
You have dug in made this realistic and set up steps so now, when are you doing it? Does January the 1st really work for you?
Is January the 7th better after the world is back into regular routine?
Set your realistic time don’t start off when it goes against you!
So how did you get on?
Did you pick your Smart goal apart?
Does it still feel like a nope not for me thing or can you find bits that you like and others that are a no-way moment?
This is just one model of goal setting, so if it doesn’t work for you no panicking there are other ways to pick apart that goal and make it happen!
Have a fantastic new year
Tracy x
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