Goal Setting Simplified.

By now most well-intentioned new year’s resolution progress has already slowed to a halt.  It’s only a week into the new year but months or years of ingrained habits can’t change on will power alone.  It’s become pretty clear that with the overall outcome as the main focus, the feat of achievement is too great a task, no matter how strong the intentions.  Setting new goals and actually achieving them requires the following:

1. Help

2. Time

3. A simplified system for achieving the overall desired outcome.

Let’s try to break this down into steps:

Step 1: Agree on the outcome you want to achieve:

What is your desired end point?  That is your outcome goal.  Outcome goals are the final destination. They may be something like this:

• I want to be able to do x pull-ups(s) by x date

• I want to fit into x size pants/dress by x date

• I want to run x distance by x date

• I want to get off of x medication(s) by x date

• I want to keep up with my spouse / daughter on our hiking trip for X miles on x date

Take note of the x, the x is super important because it tells you how you will measure your progress towards your desired outcome and when you want to achieve this outcome. If you don’t have an X to measure, you do not have a goal. If you do not have an x date, you do not have a goal.

Once you have the outcome you want to achieve, it’s time to brainstorm BEHAVIORS in your life that you could modify, eliminate, or substitute in order to get you closer to the outcome you desire. For example, I want to keep up with my spouse and daughter on our hiking trip might require behavior changes like:

• Take daily walks to build up endurance

• Use treadmill set at faster pace for small bouts to get accustomed to walking faster.

• Incorporate weekly myofacial release and stretching of the calves, quads, hamstrings and hips to make sure my mobility is not restricting my walking

• Resistance train twice weekly to build lower body strength

• Work on balance and stability exercises to improve overall balance

Once you brainstorm and list every behavior that you can improve, stay tune for step 2