"GOALS." You've probably seen countless hashtags about goals in various instances throughout social media. It's definitely not an uncommon phrase. Robert Schuller said, "Goals are not only necessary to motivate us; they are essential to really keep us alive." And Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." So we know goals are extremely important! Then what's the difference between someone who sets a goal and someone who accomplishes a goal? In my opinion, the difference comes down to HOW that goal is set (besides actually sticking with it) that makes it possible to achieve. Goal-setting is one of my favorite topics. Read on to find out how to properly set goals of your own!

In goal-setting, it is important to follow the acronym SMARTS. Goals should always be Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, Timely, and Self-determined (Weinberg & Gould, 2019). Once goals are determined, it is also important to write them down and keep them in an area where they will be seen often. Keeping the goals visible will help in keeping yourself accountable to achieve them! Also, enthusiasm for any new endeavor can wane over the course of time, so it is important to know your “why” and what will keep you motivated to stick with the goal(s) as time goes on. Finally, it may be helpful to set up a little reward system along the way. Perhaps at the end of each month of successfully staying on track with your goals, you could do an activity they enjoy. It could be a special dinner, going to a movie, getting a massage, buying a new outfit, a weekend getaway, or any number of things that will help you stay motivated as time passes.         

The first step of goal-setting is to set specific goals. If your goal is to “increase physical activity”, while this is a great goal it isn’t specific. Therefore, start by determining how much you can reasonably commit to. If you are working full-time as well as trying to balance school, family/friends, and other life activities, starting out with an aggressive 60 minute, 5 day a week exercise plan may not be realistic and/or attainable. We could start out with the American Heart Association’s recommendation of 150 minutes (~22 minutes per day) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week of an activity you enjoy doing (classes at a gym, power walking/running at a gym or around their neighborhood, cycling or spinning, etc.). It could be any number of activities, but the more you like doing it the more likely it is to stick. 

Secondly, a goal should be measurable. Similar to “increasing physical activity” not being specific, it is also not measurable because you will not know when you actually reach your goal. With a vague goal like this, essentially, walking an extra few minutes everyday could be the goal, but would not yield significant results. Putting a number to it lets you know exactly when you hit your activity target for the week and makes it measurable over the course of time. It is also important to note that this could be adjusted. If time allows and you able to increase their activity level (ex. breaks from classes, fewer family commitments, etc.) from the original 150 minutes per week, you could bump it up to 200 minutes per week (or more) as long as it is still realistic for you to accomplish and won’t derail your progress. Goals can and should be adjusted!       

Third, is action-oriented and “should indicate something that needs to be done, specific actions to achieve the stated goal”, fourth is realistic, and fifth is timely (Weinberg & Gould, 2019). As all have been previously discussed, getting to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week is the action-oriented and realistic goal since this is the amount or frequency that one should work to commit to and achieve for the time being.   

Finally, the last consideration in goal-setting is that it should be self-determined. Goals may stick for a short amount of time if someone else creates them. However, it is much better if you personally set the goal(s) or at least contributes to the goal planning process. When you feel like you have “skin in the game” and some emotional investment in it (ex. figuring out your “why”), you are much more likely to stick to your plan and achieve your goals. 

Start using the SMARTS acronym to set your goals and set yourself up for success! Comment with some goals you have and feel free to reach out if you need help setting goals too!  

References: 

American Heart Association, (2018). American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids. Retrieved from: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults 

Weinberg, R. & Gould, D., (2019). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology (7th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.