Set Yourself Up for Success: Goal Setting Edition

Hi friends! First updated blog post of 2021 is going to be one you won’t want to miss. If you didn’t catch the title, this one is all about goal setting and how to use it to implement effective change in your life starting today. In fitness, health, and any aspect of life, goal setting is important. Goal-setting is linked to higher self-confidence, motivation, autonomy, and achievement. However, in order for goal setting to be effective, a systematic goal-setting approach must be designed and carried out. By applying the guidelines presented as steps below, you, too, can learn how to be successful in setting and achieving goals that will help transform your life for the better. So, do yourself a favor and keep reading.

Step 1 – Write it out

First things first – this one might go without saying, but you should always, always, always physically write (or type) out your goals. When you don’t, it’s hard to keep track of progress and it’s easy to “forget” what your goals even are in the first place. Writing them down ensures that you know exactly what you want to achieve and will help you stay productive and accountable in working towards those specific things.

Step 2 – Set specific goals in terms that can be measured

Effective goals are clear, well-defined, and distinctly state what you need to do to accomplish them. This means that you must be able to measure the performance that relates to your specific goal(s). In other words, you should be able to come up with certain criteria that will help you determine whether or not progress has been made over time. More on this will be covered in step 6. Keep reading.

Step 3 – Make sure goals are difficult, yet realistic

Choose goals that are challenging enough to be attainable, but not so challenging that they become a cause for setback. They should also represent something you are willing and able to commit to and work toward – aka something you truly want and something you truly believe you can achieve. When you set your sights too high, there is greater risk of burnout and defeat. Finally, focus on a few goals at a time. Prioritize which ones are most important to you and save the others for a later time. Too many at once may conflict with each other and prevent you from making significant progress toward any one goal.

Step 4 – Set short-term and long-term goals

Break down long-term goals into smaller, more reachable goals. This will increase your likelihood of achievement and success by allowing you to narrow your focus and direct your efforts. Typically, long-term goals are made up of a series of short-term goals anyway, so it’s important to know what those short-term goals are in order to keep advancing toward the overall end goal. Don’t forget to celebrate the small wins along the way – because those small wins are what will lead to the big win.

Step 5 – Express goals in positive rather than negative terms

Goal setting language matters. Words are very powerful and can either help you or hurt you. Pay attention to how you frame each goal. Negative terms typically lead to negative thought processes (ex. limiting beliefs) which, in turn, typically lead to negative outcomes (ex. failure to reach goals). Long story short, negativity is almost always counterproductive. Therefore, it is important to be optimistic and express your goals in positive terms. Rather than focusing on what you don’t want to have happen, focus on what you do want to have happen. Choose words and phrases that are encouraging, energizing, and exciting. Finally, visualize the end product (success) and state your goals in a way in which you truly believe the goal is achievable. After all, positive goals and affirmations are what ultimately lead to behavior change.

Step 6 – Develop an action plan/Set up a performance feedback or goal evaluation system

Now comes the time to create a plan (or process) for how you’ll reach those goals. My recommendation is to come up with specific target dates and goal achievement strategies for each goal and then record them. A good measurement/tracking system will let you examine the triggers for any changes in performance. Once 1) specific goals have been set, 2) target dates for goal attainment have been determined, and 3) goal achievement strategies have been identified, it is time to set up a performance feedback or goal evaluation system. When you track your progress, you are more likely to recognize “small wins” along the way that are essential for reaching your ultimate end goal(s). However, when you don’t track your progress, you fail to recognize those small wins and it becomes easier to ignore any progress you have made since the start. The acknowledgment of “small wins” along the way (due to an efficient goal evaluation system) will prevent you from feeling defeated and losing sight of the big picture. With that being said, there is no one right way or one size fits all way to go about this. I’ll outline a few ideas below, but it’s up to you to experiment a bit and find what works and what doesn’t.

1) Create a running tally – Review goals daily and keep a consistent record of the amount of time you’ve spent on your goal, the number of days you’ve sustained your goal, and/or the number of specific tasks you’ve completed each day that have brought you one step closer to reaching your goal.

2) Keep a journal – At the end of each day, set aside 10-20 minutes to reflect on what you have or have not yet accomplished, what you feel good about, what you don’t feel good about, what works, what doesn’t, your triumphs, and your trials. Writing about your goals helps you identify and uncover limiting beliefs that may be holding you back and/or helps you identify and uncover certain strengths that prove to be successful in your goal pursuit. Long story short, a journal is evidence of past (and current) successes and failures. You can use these entries as a reminder for what does work, to learn, and to grow so that in the future you can keep achieving.

3) Stay accountable – Keep your closest friends and fam updated on the what, when, how, and why of what you’re working to achieve. Share the highs and lows. Fill them in on part of the process, ask for feedback, and use their support and encouragement to help you stay focused on the tasks at hand.

Step 7 – Be flexible

Last but not least, remember that your goals can always be revised. It is normal for goals to change over time. So, when and if you find that your original goals are no longer relevant or no longer set your soul on fire, do not be afraid to take a step back, think about what you truly want, and start over.

Success requires time, effort, commitment, and dedication. You have to be willing to put in the work in order to get what you want. At times, you will want to give up but this is your reminder to KEEP GOING, KEEP PUSHING, KEEP WORKING HARD to reach your goals. Your best life is right around the corner. I hope you find these 7 steps helpful in your journey to reaching your goals and becoming your best self. Feel free to like, share, and/or comment below what your goals are for this year and how you plan to reach them. 🙂