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Setting Goals for Success By Hannah Boyl
We’ve all set a goal before, other co-workers? What are you working with the previous example.
related to weight loss, exercise, our doing? What’s the action and what We’re taking our lunch to work so we
personal life, or even work. But do are you working towards? Where are don’t eat from the vending machines
you really know how to set a goal that you going to complete this action? At or fast food restaurants, but how do
will set you up for success? There is home? At work? When is this going we measure that? We should pick a
more to goal setting than just stating to happen? Is this something you certain number of days that we will
you want to do something. In fact, the do daily? Is it done at a specific time take our lunch. We could choose 1
desire to achieve something is only each day? A certain number of days day a week, 3 days a week, or even
the beginning. Too many of us are each week? every day that we work that week.
setting goals that are leading us into You can see how now that we put a
failure. Your goals are the first step So, let’s think of an example. number with the goal we can deter-
towards making desirable changes, Someone’s goal is simply, “lose mine a) if we achieved it or not over-
so do it right! weight.” That’s way too broad and all and b) if we’re making progress
definitely not specific. Let’s take a based on our goal for the week and
One of the best ways to de- step back and ask, what are the previous weeks or attempts at the
scribe adequate goal setting is using steps to take in order to lose weight? same behavior.
the SMART method. This means our Well, you could exercise more, get
goals are Specific, Measurable, At- more sleep, drink more water, or Attainable
tainable, Relevant, and Timely. Any change your diet somehow. Let’s go
goal I set for myself or my clients has with diet, even this needs to become Is this goal realistic for you? Is
these characteristics. Let’s take a more specific. We narrow this down packing your lunch 5 days this week
look at how to create these types of to something like packing a lunch out of the question? Maybe. What
goals. for work to avoid we purchasing about just 1 day? Can we manage
unhealthy snacks from the vending to throw something together and be
Specific machines or fast food. prepared to pack a lunch once for
the whole week? Maybe we’re a little
This is where your desirable Measurable more confident but still don’t think
change comes in; what EXACTLY we can start off with 5 days, maybe
do you want to do? Who is involved? How do you know if you’re 3 days is doable. This is huge factor
Is it just you? Your family? You and making progress towards your goal in success. If the goal you’re setting
if you can’t measure it? Let’s keep is above and beyond what’s feasible,
it will never work. Be kind to your-
self and ease your way into things,
change will come.
Don’t overwhelm yourself with goals
or changes to make. An example of
this would be deciding that next week
you’re overhauling your kitchen and
completely changing your eating
pattern. How likely is that to suc-
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38 • Sports Finest Magazine AUG 2019 sportsfinestMagzine.com 989 545 0735 kelly@sportsfinestmagazine.com
