SMART Goals

Ugh. Did the title of that post make you not even want to read any further?

That word has some ugly connotations, most often associated with "failure," right?

The time most people make the most goals is for New Year's. Only we call them "resolutions." Then on January 5th when the holidays are over, the bills are due, the decorations taken down, kids are back in school and we return to work, what's left? Broken resolutions ... either because we didn't have time, or we set unrealistic expectations.

Here are some ideas on making SMART goals without it seeming like a fright fest at Halloween.
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Time-bound

Be specific in your goal. If for example your goal is weight loss, don't simply say you want to lose weight. Say exactly how much you want to lose. That goes along with making it measurable. Don't make it an amount that's so much it seems insurmountable, and give yourself a time goal to do it in.

Compare these two statements:
"I'm gonna eat healthier so I can lose some weight."
versus
"I will lose 10 pounds by the end of February. I will do this by making healthier food choices, throwing out the junk food and buying fruits and veggies instead, exercising a minimum of three times a week and holding myself accountable to a friend."

Which person will lose the weight she wants to?

Goals are awesome to document because it gives you something to work towards. The scary part about saying them out loud is that we all know there's a potential for not achieving them as we'd like to, and then we equate that with failure. It's only failure if you give up.

To keep trying is to keep achieving.

A setback does not equal failure and is not an excuse to give up. It just means you get another chance.