We all have goals we strive for. But sometimes our dreams can seem too far from reach or may not be the most reasonable for the given situation. It's normal to want the best, but it's also important to set achievable goals. That is why S.M.A.R.T goals are essential in reaching your destination - success!
S.M.A.R.T is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely:
1) Specific: Ask yourself these questions when creating a goal: What do you want to achieve? Why do you want to achieve it? Who’s involved? Where will this take place? When will you do it?
2) Measurable: Give yourself a way of measuring your progress. This could include assigning numerical values to the goals, for example “I want to lose 10 pounds” and track the number in some way.
3) Attainable: Make sure that your goal is achievable within the given timeline. Don't set a goal too far out of reach or too easy - find a happy medium.
4) Realistic: Is the goal possible? Make sure that you have enough resources, time and money to achieve your goals.
5) Timely: Have an end date for when your goal should be achieved. This will help you stay motivated and keep track of your progress.
If you feel that your goals are too lofty, take a step back and think about if it is really achievable within the given timeframe or resources available to you. We also provide input to help you along the way. For example, let’s say your smart goal is to lose a certain amount of weight in 10 weeks. Healthy weight loss goals are on average 1-2lb of weight per week. What about strength training or muscle mass gain? Well - for every 1.0lb of weight gain, we assume 0.3lb will be fat free mass and 0.7lb will be fat mass - if done correctly. For strength, we can look at realistic numbers. For instance, if you want to increase your back squat 1RM by 100lb - it would depend on where you are in your training career. At the beginning only squatting body weight? - More likely to be able to do that than if you are already squatting 400lb.
If every criteria of S.M.A.R.T isn't met, then maybe it's time to re-evaluate and create more realistic goals for yourself - ones that fit into your lifestyle and still motivate you to reach success! With hard work and dedication, anything is possible; just make sure you set yourself up for success by creating goals properly with S.M.A.R.T as your guide!
Goal setting isn't always easy, especially when it comes ot being objective. During an Outcome Sesssion our Coaches help you set goals and develop a timeline for success no matter where you are at. Book an Outcome Session today!