What is goal setting, and why is it important to you?
Our goals are the things that we would like to achieve. Setting goals can help you be specific about what you want to achieve. Goal setting can also allow you to identify what you may need to stop, start or do differently, which can help you to achieve your goals.
SMART goals
To help make your goals more realistic and achievable, it’s important to make them SMART. To make a goal SMART, it must be:
- Specific – Make your goal as specific as possible
- Measurable – Identify a way to measure your progress towards your goal
- Achievable – Your goal should be just out of reach but not out of sight
- Relevant – Think about your values
- Time-bound – Set a time by which you would like to achieve your goal
Short, medium, and long-term goals
Try to set goals that fit your current lifestyle, as this can give you the best chance of success. If enjoying good food and socialising is important to you, set specific and realistic goals for these occasions and in a way that still allows you to enjoy good food and socialising.
Think about how goal setting can help you deal with your challenges. When you’re feeling tired, stressed, or bored, it can feel harder to say no or resist temptation. A goal that works for you can help you to manage the ups and downs of day-to-day life.
You may want to set goals to help you be more active. A good way to do this is to combine the things you enjoy in life with your healthy weight goals, such as activities with your family, friends or the people you work with. This means being active can be enjoyable and fun. Your friends and family can also help keep you motivated and provide support to keep you on track.
Once you’ve made your long-term goal SMART, you can begin to identify some short-term goals. Short-term goals are the smaller, easier steps that will help you achieve your long-term goal. For example, suppose your long-term SMART goal is to reduce the number of treats you eat to twice a week. In that case, your short-term goals might be to (a) plan when to enjoy your treats, (b) aim for smaller portions (c) buy fewer treats when food shopping.
Setbacks and celebrations
When setting your goals, it’s important to consider what might get in the way. By considering potential barriers for you, you can think of ways to overcome them.
Don’t forget to celebrate your successes! By making your goals measurable, you’ll know when you’ve reached a short or long-term goal.
Now is a great time to establish some new, healthy routines. Setting achievable goals can help you stay focused and motivated.
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