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Weekly Wellness Tips – Set SMART Goals for the New Year

01/04/2023

By Alison Wilder

Goal setting is a powerful process for thinking about your ideal future, and for motivating yourself to turn your vision of this future into reality.

The process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go in life. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. You’ll also quickly spot the distractions that can easily lead you astray.

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Complete the exercise below. Make any changes necessary to ensure your goals meet the criteria for a SMART Goal: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.

1. Quickly jot down 1-3 goals you’d like to accomplish.
2. Are these goals specific? Can you add action words, such as learn, research, obtain, use, earn, and organize? Rewrite your goals, adding action words, if necessary.
3. Are your goals measurable? Establishconcretecriteriaformeasuringeachgoalhere(ie. I want to read 3 books of 100 pages each vs. I want to become a better reader).
4. Is each of your goals attainable and realistic? Will they stretch you, but not break you? Reconsider your goals and revise if necessary.
5. Does each of your goals have a timetable? Add a date by which to accomplish each goal.

Tips for Accomplishing Your Resolutions:

1. Go Public: Tell everyone at home, work, gym, church, etc. about your goal. Accountability partners can make all the difference.
2. Don’t Wait: Never wait for the right time; the right time is after your take the first step.
3. Make it “Quit Proof ”: The more you invest in something, the harder it is to give up. Invest more time, more energy, and more capital.
4. Develop Momentum: One small action can build excitement, that’s how momentum is created.
5. Start Every Day With The Next Step: Every morning, ask yourself, “What action would I take towards accomplishing my goal if success was guaranteed?”