‘Tis the season for New Year’s resolutions to be made and then be forgotten about a few months later. Most resolutions involve the goal of having a healthier lifestyle. Whether it is to lose weight, workout more, be more mindful, or reduce our stress levels, the goals we set for ourselves can seem too big and eventually, we fail to accomplish them. So, how can we change this? How can we make a goal achievable? One of the best ways to achieve a goal we make is to break it down the SMART way. SMART is a goal-setting method that stands for:
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound.
Specific: The goal must specifically state what is to be accomplished. It must be clear and easy to understand and should not be ambiguous.
Measurable: The goal must be measurable so that you can see if you are making progress.
Attainable: A goal should be realistically attainable. The achievement of attaining a goal reinforces commitment to a program or healthy change and will encourage you to continue.
Relevant: The goal must be relevant to your interests, needs, and abilities. The goal must have enough personal meaning to motivate you to accomplish it.
Time-bound: The goal must contain an estimated timeline or deadline for completion. Timelines can be both short and long-term and should help you stay focused and on track. You should do self-evaluations regularly to monitor your progress toward the goal.
When I am working with clients on goal setting, many of them tell me about a goal they have made for themselves that is too big and/or too vague. When this occurs, I introduce them to the SMART method. When we use the SMART method, we are able to break the goal down to a very specific plan that meets their needs and capabilities. Once this plan is developed, the client feels more confident in following through on the plan, and will likely be more successful in achieving the goal they set up for themselves. Below is an example of how to use the SMART method.
Goal: “My goal is to workout out more so I can have better cardio endurance and become stronger.”
Let’s break this goal down using the SMART method.
Specific: “I will work out three times a week to improve my cardio endurance and muscular strength. I want to go from running 10 minutes on the treadmill to 15 minutes, and not be fatigued after the run. I want to be able to become stronger in my strength training routine by increasing my reps from 8 reps, to 10 reps, using my 10 lb. dumbbells. Once I am able to do 10 reps comfortably, I will start to introduce heavier weights to the exercises.”
Measurable: “I will workout on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays at 7 am. I will workout for 45-minutes, and do a mix of cardio and strength training work. I will run on the treadmill for 15 minutes and then I will do 20 minutes of strength training.”
Attainable: “I will start my running routine by jogging and will add 1-minute to the run each week. Once I can run 15 minutes at that speed, I will then begin to introduce a higher speed into my running routine. I will make sure the speed I choose to run at, will help me accomplish my goal of running for 15 minutes comfortably.
I will do 20 minutes of strength training. I know I can perform the exercises in my routine at 8 reps per move and use 10 lb. dumbbells. Each week, I will add 1 rep to the exercises and build up my muscular strength so I am comfortable performing 10 reps with 10 lb. weights. I will then start to introduce heavier weights into my routine and do 6 reps per exercise to become more comfortable with the new weight.
With the time I have left at the end of each workout, I will stretch my muscles.”
Relevant: “I really enjoy running and using dumbbells when I workout. Running longer on the treadmill will help me with my goal of increasing my cardio endurance.
I have a good strength training routine that I can follow. It will be easier for me to continue with this routine and track my progress week-to-week by keeping notes in a notebook.”
Time-Bound: “At the end of the first month, I want to be able to run for 15 minutes on the treadmill without feeling fatigued and I want to be able to perform with ease, 10 reps of my strength training exercises using 10 lb. dumbbells. I will then set up my routine for the next month to make sure I am staying on track with my goal of working out three times a week and building my cardio endurance and muscular strength. I will identify barriers that will keep me from achieving this goal and how I will overcome them.”
As you can see, it takes some thought to break down your goal using the SMART method. But if you take the time and effort to do so, you will hopefully find that the goal you made for yourself isn’t so out of reach, and that you can achieve it!
Lastly, the two big tips that I always give my clients are:
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you look at the example I gave above, the running goal was set to add just 1-minute each week to the routine, not 5 minutes. It is okay to take small steps that you know you can succeed at. When we do this, we feel better about ourselves and will more likely stick to the plan that was made.
Expect the unexpected. Obstacles will come up along the way when you are working on achieving a goal. To get ahead of those obstacles, write down what could prevent you from achieving your goal and what you can do to overcome them. This will hopefully empower you to keep moving forward with the goal you set for yourself and accomplish it.
Article written by Lisa Fisher, Certified Health Coach, Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor and Fitness Nutrition Specialist.