Whose idea was it to have the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Holidays (and a slew of other international and religious holidays) all within a two – month period?? Seriously!?
It is easy to see how the idea of New Year’s Resolutions was born. After all that family time, traditional food and celebrations, just about everyone needs some sort of reset button. The beginning of a new year seems like the perfect time to SET SOME GOALS. The problem is, most of us don’t have a clue how to set goals we can stick with, and research has shown that a very small percentage of us stick with those goals and see success. I don’t know about you, but I find the whole process depressing. So, instead of setting those Big, Hairy, Audacious (BHAG) Goals that may seem impressive to talk and dream about, I am taking a different approach.
First, I am not waiting for the New Year, I am starting today because I want to set myself up for success over the holidays. Instead of giving up on my healthy lifestyle for the next few months, I want to start now, to give myself a better chance of getting through the holidays with a better mindset. I want to start the New Year on top instead of climbing up from the pits in a few months, or never, since most resolutions are forgotten or fail. Besides, why lose all that time that I could use to work at feeling better?! Let’s start NOW!
Secondly, I am using a better method of setting goals, and that’s what I really want to share with you today. Instead of setting those ‘BHAG’ goals that may seem impressive and inspiring, I am taking a SMARTer approach. You may have seen the acronym SMART used for setting goals; I actually use it for my clients, but now I am taking it a step higher!
Take time to think about who you want to be and the steps it takes to get there-then take ONE step at a time!
The idea is to set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, and Time-based. But, I have learned that there are a few questions you have to ask yourself (or a client, if you are a coach) FIRST:
- Who do you want to be? Instead of what do you want to do, describe who you want to be at the end of your journey. For example, maybe you want to be someone who makes better food choices, is more disciplined, or is a better example to your children or family.
- What does THAT person do every day? Make a list of the kinds of habits that person would practice every day. Making a list or researching a bit may help you see that it probably takes less effort than what you expected to achieve success in reaching your goals.
- Which ONE of those habits do you have 90-100% confidence you could start today and practice every day for the next three weeks? (research suggests that it takes 21 days to form a habit) Many of my clients start with water because most of us can drink a little more water each day (and just about everyone needs to!).
- What do you need to do today to set yourself up for success in this goal tomorrow? Do you need to set an alarm? Our phones, computers and watches are great for making this easy! Do you need to track your efforts or progress? There are apps, specialty notebooks, etc., that can help with this, too!
- Can you forgive yourself for slip ups? Remember, you are choosing a habit you can do MOST days for 21 days-be willing to allow for less than 100% and be willing to acknowledge the very real progress you have made by succeeding most days and focus on how good that feels, both physically and emotionally!
Stick around to see how the answers to these questions can lead you to setting SMART goals for making ‘Better Choices for Healthier Lifestyles’!!
Until then, be well-
Your Bff
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