Are you setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals?

I've never been a fan of New Year's resolutions.

Why?

Because most of them are here and gone by the time we get to Valentine's day!

And why do you think that is?...

Well, in my opinion we're not setting S.M.A.R.T. goals and so our resolutions are flying south like a duck in winter!

So what are S.M.A.R.T. goals?

S.M.A.R.T. goals follow a simple framework, as a result are much more actionable and achievable.

Here's are the elements of a S.M.A.R.T. goal:

Simple: keep your goals simple, complex goals will be abandoned quickly.

Measurable: what is the measurement of success or the outcome you're looking to achieve? (i.e. I will work out for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. OR, I will get to 190 lbs and 15% body fat.)

Achievable: can you get to your goal or is it just too outrageous? (Hint: don't set outrageous goals.)

Relevant: is your goal tied to something that's important to you? If it's not, you won't care enough.

Time-Bound: we must put time constraints on the goal or it will get stretched out and likely not achieved. What is your EXACT timeframe? (i.e., I will do 100 pushups a day for 6 months.)

The last piece that helps TREMENDOUSLY is having an accountability partner for your S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Find someone to partner with for weekly check-ins to stay accountable to your S.M.A.R.T. goal progress.

So if you're looking to set some new habits in action and have big goals for 2022, make sure they're S.M.A.R.T. goals.

If you want to learn more about S.M.A.R.T. goals there are some great resources here.