Goal-setting can seem complicated. But what if there’s a tricky and simple way to ensure goal success with one little tip? Below I’ll share just a simple add-on to your already thought-out goal.
I’ll get to that in a sec. But first, what can make goal-setting more successful in general?
Goal-Setting 101
You’re probably familiar with this, but it bears repeating. There are tried and true ways to craft your goals. Here are the basics –
- Make your goals specific.
- Make your goals measurable.
- Make your goals achievable.
- Make your goals relevant.
- Make your goals timely.
Goal-Setting Intermediate Tips
Now that you have the basics down, I’d encourage you to consider adding these juicy tips to your goal-setting project.
- Write out your goals! Yes, actually use a pencil and paper.
- Write your goals in the present tense as if they’re happening now. (I care for my body and walk 3xweek for at least 15 minutes.)
- Reverse engineer your goals. What would you like to see changed by year-end, for example. And, what would need to take place between now and then to make it happen?
- Include passion. Don’t shy away from using dramatic and visually stimulating language. If it uplifts and motivates YOU, use it!
Tricky and Simple Goal Success Tip
This tip is a tweak on one of the tips listed above. To be successful, goals must be timely. We need to specify a timeline for our goals in order for us to stay on track.
Most often, we think of year-end, or a specific deadline in the future such as an event we plan to attend.
But what about the type of goals that don’t have a deadline?
Sometimes a goal is intended to become a
lifelong habit rather than a time-based goal.
Here’s an example. Let’s say we want to cut back on eating foods with refined sugar. It would seem silly to state that we only want to cut back for the rest of this year. Some goals – for nutrition, fitness, spirituality, etc. – we hope will become lifelong behaviors.
But wait. How does our brain view time-based goals?
Imagine running a marathon (stay with me here even if you’d never do that). Would you rather run a 5K with a specific finish line or an open-ended (?K) race where you’re done when you’re told to quit? Yikes!
Obviously, when it comes to goals, the brain likes to know what’s up ahead. What to look forward to. The brain naturally wants to know where’s the finish line.
Therefore, it would seem logical to make the deadline far away, right? Perhaps six months or more. With this in mind, here’s a revised version of the goal listed above – I care for my body and walk 3xweek for at least 15 minutes for the next six months.
Is that better? Nope.
Thinking of walking for six months makes me want to say, “no thank you.” Here’s another tip about the brain. It can be very short-sighted. And impatient. And it gets distracted easily. Especially when it comes to results. So, here’s today’s tricky and simple tip.
When you write a goal for a behavior that you hope to incorporate into a habit, consider making the deadline short. Maybe even super-short.
Take a look at this revised goal. I care for my body and walk 3xweek for at least 15 minutes for the month of X (fill in whatever month you’re in).
This may seem counter-intuitive. After all, wouldn’t the goal seem temporary? And, you’d likely meet it quickly. That’s the point! Give yourself some quick success. Then you get to change the goal to make it attractive for your next step.
Goals are meant to be revised and updated often. Think fluid and flexible.
Are you ready to implement this tricky and simple goal success tip? I can’t wait to hear about your success (and/or your challenges).
If you’d like to dig deeper into your health challenges, as always, I’d love to hear from you. What do you struggle with the most?
If you’d like to check out what healing from chronic illness can look like, take a look at this handout called, The Restoration Trio. It details some of the benefits you can experience once you put healing practices into place. Check it out HERE.
If you’d like to finally get the support you’re looking and start healing from the root-level, go HERE for more info.
