A New Year Means A New Resolution…This Year Make It SMART!

Does it seem like every January 1st your making a new goal for the year, but by February 1st it’s forgotten or  ” failed”? That’s probably because your goals and resolutions are not realistic. This year set a goal and reach it! The key is setting a “SMART” goal:

Specific: Instead of “I will lose weight” or “I will exercise” set specific goals like “I will lose 20lbs” or “I will exercise 3 days a week” . Use ” who, what,where, when” to help set goals.

Measurable: Establish a way to monitor your progress. Ask yourself questions like “how much”, “how many” and “how will I know I reached my goal” to make sure it is measurable.

Attainable: Set a goal that really means something to you. When you have certain values, attitudes and beliefs about the outcome of your goal, you are more likely to have the confidence and will power to achieve it.

Realistic: Set a goal that is actually possible to reach. Instead of “I will lose 100lbs in 6 months”, try a more realistic goal like “I will lose 1 lb a week”.  Instead of going from no exercise to a goal of exercising an hour everyday, try a goal like 3-4 days per week. If you set a goal too high, you are more likely to struggle with it, and therefore  more likely to give up.

Timely: Establish a time frame for your goal. When you set a time frame, you are more likely to make actions to help meet your goal. If you simply say ” I will lose 50 lbs” , there is no set date. If you change it to “I will lose 50lbs by December 31st” you are more likely  to  get going!

Let 2013 be the year you make a goal or resolution and stick to it! Just remember to make it “SMART”!