As someone who has studied behavior change theory I have been introduced to many different models. I have found that the SMART model can be very straight forward and very useful and successful.
The goals that we set and our planned avenue of travel to achieving them can make or break our success.
So many people become eager to set and accomplish goals. Which is great! The main issue is that so many people set their sights too high to early. While I am ALL for aiming for the sky and reaching our full potential, I also know that goal setting needs to be realistic.
Being the first month of 2021, new years resolutions are in full swing. Many people have set goals. Some people are happily working towards achievement and others fell out of line long ago, even before they stared. The best example that comes to mind are the famous fitness and diet goals that come with the new year. Again, I am all for setting goals and being the best we can be. Especially if those goals include bettering health and wellness! The thing is, so many people that have never stepped foot into a gym or never shop the produce isle at the store get a little ahead of themselves.
If you have never been one for physical activity and you tell yourself that you are going to run a mile, do 20 minutes of abs, and 4 sets of 15 for weighted squats every day until you get your “beach body” (by the way it isn’t going to work) you are going to burn out and hit the ground by day three of your attempts. If you are someone who lives on frozen pizzas and margaritas (no judgment here) and you decide that you are going to start a two week juice cleanse to detox and rest your body (by the way detoxes are not a thing) because you saw some bogus program during a commercial you are going to be SICK (like sh*$ting your brains out and on the verge of passing out) and over it by, again, probably day three.
The key to goal setting is setting little goals along the way to reaching your main overarching goal. Not only do you set yourself up for success by slowly, and healthily building up to the main event, but you get to celebrate wins along the way and boost your confidence and motivation.
If you are wanting to run a mile and do 20 minutes of abs every day, but are new to exercise you might want to set the goal of running for 5-10 minutes three times a week for a couple of weeks and do a few minutes of abs twice a week for a couple of weeks. If you are new to healthful eating you might rather make a few swaps here and there rather than going full-fledged. Slow, gradual and steady wins the race.
The SMART goal model sets you up to do your best by helping you lay out a plan that YOU create!
S – Specific: Define what you are hoping to do. What is it going to take for you to reach your goal and beyond?
M- Measurable: You need to have some way to track and measure your progress and hold yourself accountable. This could be a weigh in, fitting into a smaller pair of pants, being able to an activity for a certain amount of time, getting a certain grade on an exam or assignment etc.
A- Attainable: Make sure that your goal is REALISTIC and doable for YOU. Just because you saw Becky on Instagram doing X doesn’t mean that it is a great fit for you. Do you have what you need to reach your goal, or do you have access to what you will need? (Think skills, education, equipment, support, etc.)
R- Relevant: Why is X your goal? How will achieving X better you and your life? Why is X important to you? Why do you want it?
T- Time-bound: What is your timeline? When do you hope to have reached your goal (s)?
I love this model because it really allows the goal-setter to think for themselves and create their own plan. So often people go to others to have them create goals for them. While it can be great to have some help and offer encouragement when creating your own goals and plan, it really doesn’t make sense to have anyone other than yourself create the goal and plan because no one knows you better than YOU. No one knows what you want and what your capabilities are better than YOU. To have someone tell you want to do is to set yourself up for failure. Goals and change are individual-specific and can not just be crafted out of a “cookie cutter mold”.
Tips for goal-setting are endless because different things work for different people.
One of the best things you can do during the goal-setting process is outline any potential barriers that may come up during the journey and how you plan to overcome them. You will be much more equipped to stay on course if you are prepared before hand. Of course, we can not foresee everything and things are bound to come up that we are not expecting but going into the process with a positive mind-set about hurdles will make even the unexpected ones easier to deal with.
I have always been a fan of starting with short term goals. Short term goals allow us to feel things out and see where we stand. We get a chance to accomplish some “smaller” things and build our confidence and tool box. If things do not go as planned we also have the ability to switch things up. DO NOT be afraid to change course if need be. If something doesn’t feel right or isn’t working for you then it is not going to be sustainable, fun or healthy! A lot of times people think of re-routing as failure or a reason to give-up and that is simply not true!
Comparison is one of the biggest issues I see people (myself included) encounter when it comes to goal-setting. Everyone is different. As I mentioned earlier, just because your friend or someone online appears to be thriving or doing what you want to be doing, does not mean that their journey will be a fit for you. It is also important to remember that people are not always honest. Social media in particular is teeming with people who only post the positive and the things that will warrant a like or follow. By all means, of course, reach out to people and ask them if they would share their journey with you. Maybe they can offer some tips and tricks.
I am also a fan of writing goals down or telling someone else about them. By telling other people about our goals we can create a support system and accountability.
Finally, I am all about rewards. Before you begin and are in the writing process, include some reward ideas in the time-bound section of your plan. You of course want your rewards to align with your goals and plan. If you are looking to cut back on alcohol consumption or increase activity levels you may not want alcohol or a two-week long break from activity to be your reward. Rewards can look like buying yourself a new outfit (if finances allow) during a weight-loss journey, have a serving of you favorite delicious dessert if you are on a path to better eating, taking some time for yourself to relax, etc.
Lastly! Create goals and plans that are going to take you past your initial achievement! Goals that are sustainable and can better your life are awesome! A lot of people reach their goal and stop there. Think of new ways to keep bettering yourself and your situation.
I hope that this long-winded post will offer something good to someone! Goal-setting is something that is kind of hard to narrow down.
Best of luck, and remember I am always here to offer a helping hand when I can! 🙂
Intuitive Health & Living 