Goal Setting

Reviewed by Dr. Scott Rollo, PhD and Dr. Peter Rawlek, MD

When was the last time you made a promise to a friend or family member and DIDN’T keep it? When was the last time you made a promise to yourself and KEPT it?

Why is it so easy to break promises to ourselves? 

These are very interesting and hard questions for many of us. Many people have a hard time putting themselves and their health first.

Goal setting is one way to help with this. Be sure that whatever you’re choosing is important enough that you're willing to set time aside and dedicate yourself to achieving your goal.

My Journey with Goal Setting

Last year my goal was to get up at 5:00am, get my workout and walk the dog before the rest of the house was awake. Historically I am not an early riser. I was going from waking up at 6:30am, and moving back to 5:00am. That’s a big jump and it didn’t happen quickly. I held no illusions that this was just going to happen on day one.

My goal was clear in my mind, I wanted this enough that I was willing to make it a priority. I started with getting up 15 minutes earlier and rushing out of the house for a quick morning walk. I didn’t like the rushing part of it so I was able to quickly move my time back to 6:00am. Getting out for the walks consistently was a great first step for me. 

I discovered a 90 day HIIT challenge, which was great because the workouts were short (18-20 min) and this was helpful as it encouraged me to move my clock back another 15 minutes. I was honestly stuck at 5:45 for about 2 months. We had a time change during this point which didn’t help my mindset. I was mentally stuck on the “it’s actually 4:45, what are you doing?” Once I was able to get over this negative mindset, I was able to move my alarm back to 5:35am. I would either go for a walk longer or add 10 minutes on the bike before my HIIT workout. 

Moving from 5:35 to 5:00 took me about 4 months, with a stop at 5:15. I am not perfect with this, but I’m not going for perfection. I’m going for consistency. There are mornings when sleeping is more important than working out and I accept this. 

The things that changed the most for me over this last year were my evenings. Yes I am in bed between 9:30-10:00, but I’m ok with it. Especially in the winter (I would be happy to hibernate for the next few months). I had to work just as hard to get my evening routine down. Get organized and wind down in a reasonable fashion. I love watching movies and tv, so restricting the binge watching was important. I also joined a book club in September, which helped as well. Knowing that I had something to read, made it easier for me to turn off and walk away from the tv. 

Trust me, there were and still are days that I will lay in bed and wonder why… Why do I need to get up so early? The answer is always the same because the world needs a happy you, not a grouchy you. Sounds silly but it’s true. I always feel better after I workout and start my day with taking care of myself. 

Welcome to the S.M.A.R.T Technique

I used the S.M.A.R.T. Goals technique and I would like to introduce them to you now.

What Does the SMART Acronym Stand For?

The acronym stands for:

S - Specific

When setting a goal, be specific about what you want to accomplish. Think about this as the mission statement for your goal. This isn’t a detailed list of how you’re going to meet a goal, but it should include an answer to the popular ‘w’ questions:

• Who – Consider who needs to be involved to achieve the goal.

• What – Think about exactly what you are trying to accomplish and don’t be afraid to get very detailed.

• When – You’ll get more specific about this question under the “time-bound” section of defining SMART goals, but you should at least set a time frame.

• Where – This question may not always apply, especially if you’re setting personal goals, but if there’s a location or relevant event, identify it here.

• Which – Determine any related obstacles or requirements. This question can be beneficial in deciding if your goal is realistic. For example, if the goal is to open a baking business, but you’ve never baked anything before, that might be an issue. As a result, you may refine the specifics of the goal to be “Learn how to bake in order to open a baking business."

• Why – What is the reason for the goal? When it comes to using this method for employees, the answer will likely be along the lines of company advancement or career development.

M - Measurable

It is important for all goals to be measurable, so determine what you’re going to measure to define progress and success.
This makes chasing a goal more realistic, especially if your measure your progress along the way to your desired outcome.

A - Achievable

This focuses on how important a goal is to you and what you can do to make it attainable and may require developing new skills and changing attitudes. The goal is meant to inspire motivation, not discouragement. Think about how to accomplish the goal and if you have the tools/skills needed. If you don’t currently possess those tools/skills, consider what it would take to attain them.

R - Relevant

Relevance refers to focusing on something that makes sense with the broader business goals. For example, if the goal is to launch a new product, it should be something that’s in alignment with your overall health goal. For a goal to be relevant, it must be important and it must mean something to you to pursue and eventually achieve that goal.
Basically, it has to be something you desire and will make a difference to you and your life.

T - Time-Bound

All goals have to be attainable in the time you are setting as to when you want to achieve them. It is important to have realistic timing benchmarks for the smaller goals that are important for you to accomplish that eventually build or result in the end goal. These target timelines have to be achievable for the micro goals.
Remember though it’s about progression, not perfection.
Allow for some timelines not to be met, because that’s life. It’s about getting there and not necessarily when you get there.

I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on what your goal is, and choose one small first step you can begin today.

Remember patience and consistency are key.

It is not about perfection. It is about progression.

Schedule it. Do it. Log it.