Setting Goals for Success

Setting Goals for Success

Power

By a showing of hands, how many of you believe in the power of written goals?

Have you written goals for yourself, for this year?

Research has proven that those people who write their goals down accomplish significantly more than those who do not write their goals.

Let’s take a trip…If you and your family decide to drive cross-country on a long trip, do you use a map to figure out where you are going to go, where you will make a stop, where you will visit along the way?

Life is your road trip.We dream about where we want to go. But sometimes we don’t have a map to get us there.

What is the difference between a dream and a goal?

The written word.

What is your Why?

The very first place to begin: By determining your WHY.

6 Areas of Life for Goal-setting

Family and Home

Financial and Career

Spiritual and Ethical

Physical and Health

Social and Cultural

Mental and Educational

This is blank area

Social and CulturalMental andEducational

Today, let’s focus on one area

Family and Home

Financial and Career

Spiritual and Ethical

Physical and Health

Social and Cultural

Mental and Educational

You can have more than oneGoals, that is!

But keep them few in number.

Studies show that you really can’t focus on more than 5-7 items at one time.

Focus on a small handful, if more than one, so that you can repeat them/it from memory!

Positive instead of negative

Work for what you WANT, not for what you want to leave behind.

Make them (S) Specific Identify exactly what you want to accomplish in as much specificity as you can muster

(M) – Measurable Try to quantify the result. You want to know absolutely, positively whether or not you hit the goal.

(A) – Actionable Every goal should start with an action verb (“run,” “finish,” “eliminate,” etc.)

(R) – Realistic A good goal should stretch you, but you have to add a dose of common sense. Go right up to the edge of your comfort zone, and then step over it.

(T) – Time-boundWhen do you plan to deliver on that goal? A goal without a date is just a dream. Make sure every goal ends with a by when date.

Then write it downWhen you write something down, you are stating your intention and setting things in motion.

Writing down your goals creates your roadmap to success.

Review your goals frequently

This is the step that moves you toward your goal.

The more focused you are on your goals, the more likely you are to accomplish them.

Incorporate your daily review of goals into your routine.

Each morning, review and read your goals...out loud! Visualize them.

Repeat again each evening before bed. See the goal completed in your mind’s eye.

Now it’s your turn

Go back to your WHY. Think it over. Anything to add? Add it now.

Next, write your goal or goals.

Is it stated in the positive?No negatives here. Put all goals in a positive reference.

Examples:

Negative – “I will stop eating so many cupcakes.”

Positive – “I will choose a piece of fruit over a cupcake.”

Is it Specific?(S) Specific Identify exactly what you want to accomplish in as much specificity as you can muster

Examples:

Non-specific – “I want to cook more of my own meals.”

Specific – “I will cook my meals at home five nights a week.”

Is it Measurable?(M) – Measurable Try to quantify the result. You want to know absolutely, positively whether or not you hit the goal.

Examples:

Not measurable – “I will eat more vegetables.”

Measurable– “I will eat five servings of vegetables every day.”

Is it Actionable?(A) – Actionable Every goal should start with an action verb (“run,” “finish,” “eliminate,” etc.)

Examples:

Not actionable – “Be more consistent in exercise.”

Actionable – “I will attend a minimum of 2 classes every week.”

Is it Realistic?(R) – Realistic A good goal should stretch you, but you have to add a dose of common sense. Go right up to the edge of your comfort zone, and then step over it.

Examples:

Not realistic – “I will lose 100 pounds in 6 months.”

Realistic – “I will lose 1-2 pounds a week.”

Is it Time-bound?(T) – Time-boundWhen do you plan to deliver on that goal? A goal without a date is just a dream. Make sure every goal ends with a by when date.

Examples:

Not time-bound – “I will fit into size 14 again.”

Time-bound – “I will be wearing size 14 by December 31.”

Do you have some Mini-goals set too?Big goals are great. And important.

Make sure you also set some mini-goals you can achieve in a month or two.

Track your progress, and then reward yourself along the way for improving your eating and exercise habits.

So, your goals are written down

Now what?

These are YOUR goals. YOU own them.

The sad reality is that not everyone around us is as supportive of us as we wish they were.

Keep the self-talk (the thoughts in your head) POSITIVE.

Review them dailyThis is critical!

Make your review of goals part of your DAILY routine.

Each morning, read your list of goals.

Visualize the COMPLETED goal.

Then repeat the process before you go to bed each night.

Every day…Each time you make a decision during the day, ask yourself this question:

“Does this decision take me closer to, or further from, my goal?”

If your answer is “closer to” – then you’ve made the right decision!

If your answer is “further from” – well…you know what to do!

Bottom line for weight loss and health

Determining your WHY – the importance of the goal to you – is the first step.

Goals should always be stated in the positive, and always written down.

Structure goals to be Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Time-bound.

Reviewing goals daily keeps you focused, positive, and on-track.