Skip to main content

7 Motivating Steps to Setting Goals in 2017


 This is a two part blog to follow up on my last post Cravings and Why Willpower is not enough. It is proven that the only long lasting technique that proves success in any goal or resolution is to develop a habit that feeds your goal daily. Progression towards your success is a process. It is like growing a plant, you have to water it and give it enough sunlight to later bare the results of your work. So think about what your goal is and how overtime with effort that can transform into something of substance for you. Willpower is fleeting and unreliable. If that is our only source of drive, you will most likely give in before the middle of  2017. Whether your goal is to lose weight or start reading everyday, think of the steps you would need to take for example reading for 10 minutes before bed. Here are 7 steps I take with my clients in coaching them to reach their goals using the SMART technique!

Step 1: Write your goals! Writing it down is kind of like a contract with yourself that you are making. You are professing it and making a direct plan that is sure to lead to success with your follow through.

Step 2: Make your goal detailed and Specific! Write down how you will reach this goal and list three action steps including who is involved, what you want to do, where it will happen, and when you plan on doing it.

Step 3: Make it Measurable! Add in the details, measurements and tracking techniques you will use to achieve your goal! If you want to lose weight, how many lbs? how many inches? or maybe your are measure athletic capability like squatting 135 lbs or running a 5k in 8 minutes. If you want to eat healthy you may plan to track your food with a fitness app like My Fitness Pal, Food tracker, or Calorie Count
example: I will track my goal by using the following ____________________
                I will know I reached my goal when ______________

Step 4: Make it Attainable! What support or additional resources do you need? Do you need a coach, a counselor, a trainer, a mentor? Map out the following:
example: Items I need to achieve my goals ________________________
                Things I need to learn about ____________________________
                 When will be the best time of day _______________________
                 Who can I talk to for support ___________________________

Step 5: Make it Relevant! Why do you want to achieve this goal? Why is it important to you? How will it benefit you? How will you feel once you achieved this goal. Reminding yourself of the reasons your started can keep you motivated throughout your journey.

Step 6: Make a Timeline!  Set a deadline for you goal or benchmarks to show you are making progress.
example: I will reach my goal by (date): ___/___/_____
                My halfway measurement  will be _________________ on (date) ____/____/______
                List additional dates and milestones

Step 7: Lastly believe you have already achieved your goal. Visualize yourself at the end of your journey and how proud you feel. Tell yourself you are already that writer or runner or professional! Your mind is the most powerful tool in your journey so watch how you are speaking to yourself!

Find out how to Conquer your Mind in my next post!

Good luck and Great Success,

Fit Therapist
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Eating Away the Pain: The Connection between Trauma and Binge Eating

From a very young age we starting learning about the world around us and adjust to our environment for survival. From the way we act, think, behave, react and interact with others. Our learning comes out in practices, health habits, past times, spirituality and lifestyle choices. All of us are culturally connected to the things we eat whether we prefer rice and beans or oxtail and peas. We are additionally influenced by life events. For years scientists have recognized a link between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the development of eating disorders, i.e. binge eating. Trauma is an actual or perceived life threatening even  often leads to a stress reaction (anxiety, fear, depression, anger). Often times in order to deal with that anxiety people turn to food, alcohol or other substances to mask, avoid or "stuff" the pain. Research shows that 1 in 4 people who binge eat  have PTSD Symptoms of PTSD and Binge Eatin g 1. Stressful memories, flash backs and trigg...
Post a Comment
Read more

My First Post!

Hello Everyone! I am excited and skeptical about writing this first post. Every time you start something new and unfamiliar it can cause uncertainty. Additionally if you know me personally, I am not the most technologically savvy. I have never had an interest in writing a blog; however my uncle began a blog and mentioned how much joy and fulfillment it brought him. Also, in my pursuit of my degree I have realized that I acquire interesting and inspiring knowledge every day that can help others. Through writing this, I hope to dispel some of my creative juices, express myself professionally and hopefully light a fire in you with some of the topics I chose to post about. Please take the time to follow my uncle’s blog at   http://adventuresofteacher-dad.com/ and I look forward to writing more.  Future Therapist
1 comment
Read more

What is your Love Language?

Since I enjoy my field and learning I have come across some good reads. One book I picked up in between semesters was the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. This book talks about how people express affection over 5 "languages" including words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time and physical touch. It seems like a simple concept but rarely to couples ask their significant other "How do you feel most loved?" We just assume that our partner feels love the same ways we do whether that be saying "I love you," holding hands or even taking out the trash. Everyone has their own way of expressing and feeling love. I have taken the test to assess my love language once when I was single and yet again in my relationship. While the results changed slightly, I still had the same overriding love language of "Quality Time." When getting into a relationship, I asked my boyfriend to take the test as well. Luckily we speak the same languag...
Post a Comment
Read more