Class Handout by Gill Cummings-Bell BA (Hon’s) M.SC. MBA. PGCE. MIfL.
It’s that time to year when we all want to make New Year’s resolutions. This year instead of New Years resolutions, I want you to consider putting them into the context of SMARTER goals. Whatever you want to achieve in the coming year, it is important to have vision of achieving success in your mind and what life will be like when you achieve it. This is what goal setting is. Once you have the vision in your mind you want to set off on the path of achieving it. To make sure you do, test your goal using the SMARTER principle.
Specific
Goals need to have detail and specificity. It’s no good just to say “I want to tone up and get fitter”. You have to detail what that means. i.e. I want to drop a trouser size, or lose 2cm off my waist, I want to exercise 5 times per week for 30 mins.
Measurable
How will you know when you have achieved your goal? Whatever goal you set, you need to be able to measure when you have achieved it. I don’t mean a tape measure, by a measure it means your goal is quantifiable. This is so important for your motivation and so that you can feel successful.
Achievable
Once you have defined the detail and written it down, sit back and check it for achievability. Can you lose that amount of weight? can you commit five sessions of exercise per week? If not, you need to consider adjusting your goal to something you can achieve. You do not want to set yourself up for failure right from the very beginning.
Realistic
This should naturally follow if you have defined the goal, set the measure and litmus tested it for achievability. It’s not realistic to set goals that cannot be achieved. If you want to commit to your exercise sessions or weight management regime it is important that you take account of everyday life and how it will fit. Remember your goals are not usually for a week but for a few months or a year. They need to still fit your life at its busiest period and when motivation may be waning. In the true sense, Goals are for a lifetime not just for Christmas. Lets make this year the year you set a goal that you really do achieve.
Timeframed
All goals need to have a success date. Consider this to be when you want to peak and achieve your goal. Taking into account the above measures you can set your time frame realistically. i.e if you want to lose 1stone in weight, that is 14lbs. You may set a 2lb per week weight loss. To achieve that you need to create a 1000 kilocalorie deficit between energy in each day and energy out (1lb of fat equating to approx 3500 kcals).
Is this realistic to achieve every week? You may achieve it some weeks and not others. If you want to set a realistic goal, is it better to set a monthly goal of 6lbs per month rather than a weekly goal and set your time frame based on a monthly measure? Equally, if your goal is a fitness regime goal of exercising 5 times per week, would it be better to set a monthly goal of 15 sessions per month which allows for busier weeks when you may have less time?
Enjoyable
This is one of the most important factors in goal setting. If you don’t enjoy the activities that will lead you too your goal, then you are more likely to fail. Set your goals based on taking a pathway to achieve it that you will enjoy. If it’s weight management you need to enjoy the healthy eating plan, if its an exercise goal you need to take part in an exercise programme that you will enjoy. I can guarantee if you don’t enjoy your journey it will become tedious and again lead to failure.
Resourced
Last but not least is resourced. It’s important that you consider the whole of the goal and whether you have the resources to undertake the journey. i.e if you want to exercise regularly, is there a gym near you? Are there five classes a week of the type that you would enjoy? If you are an outside exerciser, is there a park near you where you can exercise each day?
This year set your goals using the SMARTER principle and start your journey with a solid plan of how you will achieve them. Let this year be the year that you achieve the success you deserve.