Do you give up on your goals three weeks in or never even start?
Don’t worry; you are not the only one.
Here is why.
Most people don’t know how to set goals. Some don’t set goals at all. Instead, they are thoughts that hang out at the back of your mind.
The reason for this is a lack of clarity, plans, and deeper meaning which results in a lack of motivation and a reason to quit. The goals you set have no real urgency because you don’t think about things like timelines or what motivated you set this goal in the first place.
We have to be clear about our goals, and we have to write them down so they come to life. Aside from that, when you feel like giving up, you have something to reference that reminds you why you started in the first place.
Does the above statement sound like you? Do not worry. There is a reason for this.
When we implement new goals or habits into our life, we have to start small. This step is crucial to ensure your success.
Many people live life by “go hard or go home,” but that sets you up for failure quicker than anything else.
Why?
We set goals or pick habits that eat away a lot of our time, and we “don’t get around to getting them done.” Or we go hard for a few months and then drop the task.
Our minds are quick to give or justify you not doing something because you have to clean the house, pick the kids up from school, and make dinner for the family. Your list of tasks for the day is endless.
In reality, you do have enough time.
You have to implement an attainable goal that doesn’t take up a lot of your time, where you can’t
give yourself an excuse not to do it.
For example:
We all know that we have to floss our teeth every day, but only 50 percent or less of you do this. Why? Simply because going from zero to one hundred is automatically setting you up for failure.
If someone asked you to floss only one tooth each day for the first week and then add a tooth every week, would you do it? Most likely, yes. You would succeed because you took small steps and built that habit.
It is the same when you are working out at the gym. You don’t start lifting 100 lbs your first time; instead, you gradually work your way up. When you are trying to build a mental habit, it works the same way.
Specific: You can use the 5 W to help you get clear with this. (Who, what, where, when, and why)
You have to get specific. So you know what you need to reach your goal. Understanding the details, especially the WHY to what you are doing, will give you the “I must do this” attitude.
Your specific goal should show you the way to where you want to go.
Measurable: How many/ how much? How do you know if you reached this goal? What is the indicator for progress?
You won’t know how far you’ve come if you don’t see what you are measuring. Dates, time, amounts? This part of the goal is crucial because you need to celebrate the wins that will encourage you to keep moving forward!
Achievable: Do you have all of the resources? If not, what are you missing? Have others achieved this goal?
Are you setting yourself up for success? Or are you setting an utterly unrealistic goal? If your goals are not achievable, they will erode your confidence, but they won't challenge you enough if they are too easy. Find your happy medium.
Realistic/Relevant: Is the goal within reach given the time and resources? Can you commit? Does this goal support your overarching goal?
Your goals must be relevant to whatever you want to achieve in your career, personal life, etc. The plans must align with the direction you want to take.
Time-Bound: When do you want to achieve this goal? Does this goal have a deadline? Deadlines are important because they create URGENCY!
Identify tasks and write everything down. Please take a look at your jobs and prioritize them in order.
Analyze and delegate your tasks if applicable. Do you need additional resources? Should you hire a freelancer?
Double-check with S.C.H.E.M.E.S.; is a checklist of things to consider when you are making an action plan to help you generate a detailed, step-by-step guide.
Space - Do you have the available space, venue, workstation, etc.?
Cash - Do you have the funds?
Helpers/People - Will you need to hire somebody?
Equipment - Do you have everything you need? Will you need to invest or rent equipment? Buy a membership or sign up for a software tool?
Materials - Do you have what you need to complete the goal?
Expertise - Will you need somebody else to do the job? Do you need to take an online course? Systems- Do you have a plan in place? Will you need to get one? From where? Does it make you more efficient?
The above are suggestions to help you get the ball rolling in your action plan planning. The goal is to get crystal clear and specific around what needs to get done to move things forward.
This kind of planning does not allow you to get off track because you have something to reference back to when things get out of hand or lose your momentum.
You can achieve whatever you want as long as you have a system in place that is designed for you to succeed. We encourage you not to get discouraged because the journey is a personal one, and the only person you are competing against is the person you were yesterday.
We hope this blog on how you can reach your goals of a healthy lifestyle was informative. You are capable of living a healthy lifestyle. You need to have the right action plan and align with your why and reasons behind your goals.
Use the tools provided in this blog as a guide for you to shape your future for the better. We are with you every step of the way and are excited to be part of the journey.
