Are your 2020 goals smart?

We are approaching the middle of the first month in 2020 which means you should be well into you New Year Resolutions. Unfortunately, statistics indicate the 80% of people will fail at their resolutions by February. Why? Because their goals aren’t S.M.A.R.T. Here is a quick reference guide of how to define and maintain your new goals for 2020. You goals should follow the S.M.A.R.T. criteria as follows:

Specific - Goals should be well defined. An common example is weight loss in which people simply say “I want to get in shape” but have no specific details about how. Instead you could say “I want to lose 30 lbs by getting a gym membership and working out 3-4 times per week”.

Measurable - How do you know you are progressing in your goal if you have not defined parameters? As with exercise you can choose a target goal for each week and give yourself a timeline for the changes you want to see. This way you can easily tell if you are getting closer to your goal and how much time it takes you.

Achievable - I would say as a therapist, this is where many people go wrong. Don’t set the bar to high or to low. In other words, be realistic. It is unrealistic to think we will have a six pack by the summer if you haven’t worked out in 5 years. If you set the bar to high you are more likely to give up at soon as you miss one day towards your goal.

Relevant - Don’t set goals just because it’s trendy or sounds good. It should be something you are interested in or that will ultimately benefit you. I don’t know how many people have tried the vegan lifestyle knowing full well they love eating meat.

Timely - Be sure to set time frames around your goals as it will help hold you accountable and allow you to chart progress. Deadlines are important to have, otherwise you will likely procrastinate and lollygag with your goals.

Remember - Live Lite.

Peace.