How To Set Goals

Did you know that setting goals can help your life run smoother, help you eliminate stress, and help you feel a whole lot better about yourself and the direction your life is going.

What are some tips to help you set goals?

• Be Specific When You Set Goals
• Make Goals Measurable
• Make Goals Achievable
• Make Goals Realistic
• Have Goals Be Time-Driven

Setting goals is fundamental to succeed at anything, especially at achieving a healthier lifestyle. Creating your own individual goal will help you to keep motivated and focused, in addition to meeting your own unique needs.

After setting your goal, it is very helpful to display it somewhere visible at home, or work to reinforce it every day. Put it all over the place if that helps you. Do what resonates – you have to figure out what works for you.

Having a clear vision of what you want and a solid plan of action will help you get closer to your goal.

Let’s look closer at each tip that will help you set your goals the right way because that can be the difference between success and failure.

Be Specific When You Set Goals

The more specific, the better. Instead of saying you want to lose weight and be healthier, specify how much weight you want to lose and the amount of time you want to lose it. For example, “I want to lose one pound a week for the next 90 days.” Or “For the next 90 days, I will eat at least two servings of vegetables every day.”

Make Goals Measurable

If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. Choose a goal in which you can actually see the changes occur. For weight loss, you can measure your progress with a scale, a measuring tape, and the size of your clothes.

Make Goals Achievable

If your goals are too lofty—for example, I will work out every day for two hours (for someone who usually does not exercise)—you’ll never accomplish them. Rather, set goals that stretch you just enough to where they’re still attainable, but not so much that you set yourself up to fail. For example, “The next 90 days I am committing to exercise 30-40 minutes a day”.

Make Goals Realistic

This doesn’t mean easy. It means do-able. For example, if you have a sweet tooth, don’t say you’ll never eat sweets again. Instead, commit to eating a serving of fruit a day in place of a sweet treat.

Have Goals Be Time-Driven

If you don’t set a timeline or an end point, chances are, you’ll keep putting this off. Set a clear, realistic target date and take action! Better yet, have little checkpoints along the way to make sure you’re on track.

Daily Tip to Help Keep Your Goals

Turn the goal into a positive affirmation. For example,

“For the next 90 days my body will feel strong and full of energy because I am exercising 30 minutes a day”.

If you’re having trouble honing in on your goals, don’t worry. Take a moment to ask yourself these questions. Your answers will help guide you in the process.

What does achieving this goal mean to me?
What are the rewards of achieving this goal?
What do I hope to gain?
What would happen if I don’t achieve the goal?
Am I being realistic?

Remember that you have to set your goal before you can accomplish it. Having a strategy and staying focused on the end result will help you get there.