How to Achieve your New Year’s Goals
S.M.A.R.T goals are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Have you made lofty goals for the new year and are disappointed that you stopped pursuing these goals after a month? Or have you fallen short of what you imagined you would do?
I used to make goals for the new year to symbolize the new me. I would then lose steam and take a break from the plan and not return for weeks, months, or sometimes until the following year. If I did achieve the goal, the outcome would not match the fantasy in my mind.
Let’s take a popular new year’s goal – creating a new exercise routine. In the past, I made a goal to practice yoga for 90 minutes for 90 days straight. I envisioned myself doing impressive arm balancing poses like peacock and dragonfly while getting a six-pack in the meantime. I imagined myself waking up full of energy every morning, excited to practice for 90 minutes at a yoga studio. In this fantasy, I always jumped out of bed after a good night’s sleep, waking up refreshed and energized and ready to go to the studio after an espresso.
I did end up practicing yoga for 90 minutes for 90 days, though the reality was very different from my fantasy. On the days that I had far less energy and my body was sorer than anticipated, I did a mellow home practice with an extended savasana (resting pose) at the end. I would mentally berate myself for failing to achieve my fantasy goal. Even though I practiced consistently, I judged myself as a failure or a disappointment for not doing a full peacock pose or getting a six-pack. I would teeter between wanting to give up my practice altogether or feeling like I needed to make up for slower days and do it much bigger and better next time., I kept falling back into all-or-nothing thinking, believing that if I didn’t do the most advanced practice, it didn’t count.
This experience taught me that we must reconcile our “new year, new you” fantasy with what is realistically achievable. Now, I have a better system, thanks to creating S.M.A.R.T. goals. S.M.A.R.T goals are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. I design clear, manageable action steps toward fulfilling my vision for the new year and my future life. With S.M.A.R.T. goals, I feel better about myself and my ability to realistically achieve my goals. I leave room for my humanness, which has made all the difference.
Let’s break down the acronym S.M.A.R.T. with the example of creating a regular exercise routine.
SPECIFIC
What do you want to achieve? Why is this your goal?
I created a goal for a consistent yoga practice to take care of my body, mind, and emotions by strengthening and stretching my body, increasing mental awareness, and fostering emotional balance.
MEASURABLE
How frequently will you work towards your goal? What action steps will you take towards your goal of regularly exercising?
I aim to practice five times weekly for 50-minutes with an additional 10-minute meditation or savasana. I will create space to do this every workday afternoon before lunch.
ACHIEVABLE
Do you have the equipment, tools, time, and skill set to achieve your goal?
All I need is my yoga mat. I carved out time in the afternoon, when my work schedule is typically the lightest, to practice yoga at home using a yoga app. I have the necessary skills because I have been practicing yoga for many years. I no longer have lofty expectations to do advanced classes every time. I listen to my body and practice self-compassion, while holding to my commitment. On days when I am more tired, I take a mellow yin class. I remind myself that a mellow practice is beneficial and that self-care and self-love are the ultimate goals. I have given myself a couple of rest days during the week.
RELEVANT
How does it align with bigger goals? Why is the outcome valuable?
As a therapist, I want to practice yoga to care for myself mentally, emotionally, and physically. This will help me fill my cup with overall nurturance while supporting my clients. I want to set a good example for my clients of what a healthy self-care practice can look like and consistently practice what I recommend to clients. I want to increase my self-awareness to elicit healthy change. The more I grow, the more I can support my clients in improving their self-awareness and promoting positive changes in their lives. I want to increase my mindfulness to have emotional balance and be attuned to and present for my clients.
TIME-BOUND
What is the time frame?
I plan to work on this goal for five weeks and then make any necessary changes to make it more specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
In summary, SMART goals help you create goals that are deeply rooted in relevant intentions and will support your personal and professional life. Specific and relevant goals foster meaning that supports perseverance along your path. Measurable and achievable goals support greater positive self-talk and increased self-confidence and self-esteem. The inner dialogue shifts from “Am I doing enough?” to “I can do this! I am doing great!”
S.M.A.R.T. goals are a fantastic tool for working towards your 2023 new year’s goals.
How can S.M.A.R.T. goals support YOU in realistically achieving goals that align with your deeper intentions?
If you want support and accountability in creating S.M.A.R.T. goals, please get in touch!
Written by Courtney Killough
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