All of us entertain different dreams and visions about our lives and what we want to accomplish with them. Our smaller visions are easy for us to grasp and realise. However our bigger dreams often cause intimidation and we end up giving in to the belief that they are impossible to achieve. Discouragement is the only winner here.
This brings us to the topic of goal setting.
This is not likely the first time you’ve heard about the benefits of setting personal goals. Fact is, most of us have been taught the power of goal setting since we were children. Unfortunately, many do not follow through using this powerhouse aide towards achieving success as an adult.
One of the healthiest ways to fuel our ambition and boost our self-confidence is by consistently setting and achieving our goals.
Goal setting is like a map. It is an external representation of what our inner desires are and gives us structure and guidance as we journey towards our objective. Setting goals help to break up larger, intimidating visions/ideas into smaller more attainable stepping stones. Without these steps, we spend our lives running up and down or left and right but never achieve anything. In other words, without targets and milestones to reach for, nothing in our lives will change or improve.
This is when we consciously break out of autopilot and begin living life consciously. Rather than being buffeted by the “winds of change,” we proactively take charge of what direction our lives are headed.
Setting goals is smart. Setting SMART GOALS is, well, even smarter!
SMART is an acronym that represents the specific steps one needs to take when reaching for a specific goal. If followed, these steps boost productivity and give clear direction towards achieving them.
Writing out our SMART goals, beginning with “specific” is an illuminating experience and helps us to “see” what we really want.
Specific
We must be clear and specific about what we want to achieve. And this is where the what, why, who, where will likely need to be defined.
What do we wish to accomplish with this goal?
Why is this goal meaningful to us?
Who needs to be involved?
Where will it take place?
What limits are in place or resources that we can turn to?
Measurable
In order to keep motivation high, it is important that we track our progress. This also helps us to meet important deadlines. If our project/goal will take months to reach, set measurable milestones/specific tasks that can be accomplished along the way. Feeling the excitement of getting one step closer to our goal is a real motivator.
Measurable should also answer questions like these:
How many?
How much?
How do I know when it is accomplished?
Attainable
Do we have what it takes? Do we have the tools and skills needed to reach our specific goal or will we need to develop some new ones? How about attitude? Does our attitude align with our goal?
Realistic/Relevant
Let’s be realistic about being real! Our goals need to represent an objective which we are both able and willing to work towards. Our goals can be termed realistic if we truly “believe” in our heart that it they can be accomplished. These goals need to be relevant as well. Do they align with our overall objective?
Time Specific
Every goal needs to be grounded within a timeframe. When we are up against time restraints, it creates a sense of urgency and this sense of urgency is what gets us moving!
Research proves that hitting small milestones provides us a real sense of achievement and contentment and gives our motivation a real boost. A plan and set date for accomplishing something keeps our motivation healthy and buzzing while giving our excitement a healthy boost.
It’s easy to see how powerful and empowering these SMART steps can be if followed. They help clarify our ideas, focus our attention and use our time productively. And, all this leads to achieving what we want out of life.
The reality is – “A goal without a plan is just a wish…”
Goal setting isn’t just about setting a plan and holding ourselves accountable. It’s about providing the inspiration needed to shoot for things in life we never believed possible. We must consciously honor our desires and goals and give them the attention and time they deserve to ensure we get the most out of every moment of our life.
Remember this powerful adage:
“By failing to prepare, we are preparing to fail.”
Whether our goals fall into the business, personal, relationship, or health and fitness arena doesn’t matter. Drafting and using SMART GOALS to define, follow, mark, and celebrate our progress is the engine that gets us there.
It’s time to take command of your life …
“Healthy Self Healing” can help you do just that…
For more tools and resources from Carolyn Hansen to assist you in attaining your health and fitness goals please visit:
