Get SMART with your goals for 2021

Episode #1 - Effective goal setting tips for 2021

We are back! Whilst 2020 was a challenging year, it’s important to reflect on what we have all gone through and know that we have definitely come out stronger. The perfect way to start the year of 2021 is to reflect and then set some goals!

Being completely honest, the majority of us didn’t achieve our goals from 2020 and that’s totally fine, it’s important not to beat yourself up about it but reflect on the positives that have come out of such a challenging year and now focus on the future.

Let’s start by pinpointing why the majority don’t stick to their new year resolution (aside from 2020, the year we will never speak of again), when we set goals, there needs to be some meaning towards that goal. Really pinpointing why you want to achieve that goal and what it means to you, because if there’s no meaning to it, there’s no emotion or feeling attached to it then it’s just another goal you wrote down in a notebook that one time and have never looked at it again.

A good technique to get super detailed on your goals is using the SMART method. I’m sure many of you have heard of this method before, it’s used a lot in the corporate world, but it is super effective!

SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

Why you need to get SPECIFIC!

What does this goal mean to you? How will you feel once you achieve this goal? What are the obstacles that may stand in my way and how do I overcome them. This is where you have an answer to anything that may stop you from achieving your goals and will also help when you feel like giving up! Look back at your SMART goals and know why you are doing this and what a difference it will really make in your life.

Make sure your goal is MEASURABLE!

How can you track your progress? This is an important part in your journey because you will reflect on this throughout and make adjustments if needed. Some great ways to track this is by writing it down, saving your progress in an app, taking progress photos!

Is your goal ACHIEVABLE?

Just choosing a number out of a hat is not going to work in terms of weight loss, you don’t know how your body is going to react to the new exercise routine you are doing so it could take longer to adjust to and figure out what works for your routine and your body.

Is your goal REALISTIC?

Let’s face it, it would be great if we could lose 10kilos in 30 days… unfortunately that’s not realistic for a healthy and maintainable lifestyle change or walking 10,000 steps a day from day 1 when you barely reach 3,000 a day. When thinking about your goals, it’s important to think of them as a long term lifestyle change, not just a quick fix…

Start small and build up those habits, so instead of trying to go to the gym 7 days a week, start with 2 and adjust along the way.

Set your TIME!

Set a time for your goal, tie all the above into one. Give yourself an achievable time period, for example, around weddings that might be coming up, or a birthday event. Once you have this time set, you can then break your goal down into monthly, weekly and daily goals. What do you need to achieve each week to be able to reach that long term goal?

Once you have set your goals using the SMART method, this can then allow you to be consistent with your progress. Although this might be overwhelming at first, once you have your goals set and a plan in place, it will become alot easier to stick to!

Now it’s your turn to get SMART with your goals.

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