This week I want to help you with designing your goals and how to implement change. Contemplating change can take days, weeks, months and even years. Maybe you have thought about fixing your diet or starting an exercise schedule but it just seems too daunting of a task. Where do you start, how can you fit this into your life and what is it I am exactly looking for in the end. The most common thing I hear is “ I just want to be healthy”. That’s a pretty broad statement as good health can mean many things to many people. I want a job means many things to many people, I want a car, I want…yes we all want something and what that something is means something different to everyone. Vagueness leads to failure because you haven’t really gotten down to the buisness of being specific. If you want a new car I am pretty sure you have an idea of how much money you can spend and what style you want. I want to be healthy and for me that means eating more fruits and vegetables and reducing stress through exercise. For you maybe it mean drinking more water and reducing your cholesterol. It’s a great thing to aspire to good health but just like many things in life without a roadmap and points of destination you’ll be going in circles. This is why it is so important to be very specific about what exactly your goal is and then to have a written plan that takes into account your life demands and limitations.
There are Seven Steps to effective goal setting.
- Set appropriate goals. Within this first step actually lie three important steps. One you should set your goals systematically which means you select them based on your most important need first. If your blood pressure is sky high, maybe starting a simple walking plan is a number one priority to getting that disease under control. Within your selection of goals is the second step, which is, be prepared to adjust these goals based on situations or limitations. If you sprain your ankle and can’t walk, what’s your backup plan? And third, set goals that have some degree of difficulty. The reason for this is most of us feel successful when a task is a bit of a stretch…making it an accomplishment. The degree of difficulty has to be realistic otherwise you’ll feel like a failure and quit. I would love to run a Marathon, it will never happen. I could attempt it, but about 15 miles in my knees would snap off. Just because every magazine on earth tells you this is the ultimate goal doesn’t make it true for you.
- Develop goal commitment. If you say your going to do it then do it. If you promised your BFF that you would help her out by picking her kids up Mon, Tues and Friday are you going to do it for a couple times and then quit because you didn’t feel like it? Probably not. Promises you make to other people carry the same level of importance as the ones you make to yourself. The difference between successful people and those who struggle is really one thing. Successful people just don’t quit when things get tough. It’s harsh but toughen up, otherwise you’ll be bruised every time things go squirrelly.
- Evaluate barriers to goal attainment. That simply means as I said before, when you are setting a goal write down the things that have the potential throw up a detour. Identify potential barriers and create strategies to deal with them. I think the most obvious barriers tend to be work and family. These are 2 things you can’t get rid of usually without poverty or jail time, so it’s best to strategize around them. You keep your job and your family still loves you.
- Construct an action plan. A goal is nothing without a plan. I can say I am going to make a million dollars, but if I have no plan other than wishful thinking based on the Lottery…I’m pretty sure it ain’t gonna happen. Avoid wishful thinking unless you have special powers that come with a magic wand.
- Obtain feedback. Share your goals to some trusted friends and family whom you feel will evaluate how you’re doing with your goals. Athletes depend on “atta boys” and lot’s of high fives. Get some people on your team willing to smack your hinny with a “ well done”.
- Evaluate goal attainment. Mostly this statement means track your progress. Write this stuff down so you can literally see the results on paper and if something isn’t working maybe you can go back and tweak what’s not working. I have a crappy memory and it’s my belief that most of us have at least a selective memory. I have a calendar on my desk. Every day I write down my weight, mood and what exercise I did. Generally I have a plan for my week, but the act of writing it down makes it real and I can go back months to see what I was doing. I am not saying everyone needs to jump the scale everyday, I just know it helps hold me accountable. I write down my moods because for me I can very thrown off by attending one too many pity parties or hormonal disturbances. I can literally track this and kind of be prepared, plus it helps me warn the husband of upcoming doom and sour faces.
- Reinforce goal achievement. When I run a 5K and walk away with a medal I am encouraged to do it again. That’s also why races give you a T-shirt. You do something good, you get something. You achieved a goal…go get something. Get a new car, a new diamond or maybe just some new sneakers. Sure the real prize is knowing you accomplished something that wasn’t easy, took effort, time and sacrifice. But some of us really, really, really like it when we “get” something. Like a new Nano…or iPad…or a vacation to Hawaii?
This is the year you don’t leave your life to random choices, this year develop a plan. Really put some thought and effort into what you think is going to help you achieve your goals. It’s not about buying a magic pill, exercise video and some Lean Cuisines. Now go out there and score!!! Whoop-Whoop!
