Hello all of you Fit and Fabulous Floridians! As the new year approaches, it’s that time of year we start thinking about New Year’s Resolutions and things we want to accomplish this upcoming year. The majority of us have some sort of health and fitness goals we would like to achieve, from eating healthier, to committing to a workout regime. How do you decide which goals you want to set, and more importantly, how are you going to accomplish those goals and stick with it? I am going to share with you a couple of ways to set your goals that will get you thinking about which health and fitness goals are right for you and how you can feel successful this upcoming year.
Set goals using the SMART method (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely).
If you are someone who has not worked out all year and you set a goal to work out six times a week starting in January for the whole year, it is very likely you will have a hard time being successful with this goal. Instead, a SMART goal to set would be to workout at least three times a week for a month. This goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and has a time frame associated with it. Once you accomplish this goal you set your next one. Small steps lead to big accomplishments.
Write down your goals: People who set goals and write them down, accomplish them at a significantly higher rate than those that do not write them down. Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University in California, studied the art and science of goal setting (https://positivepsychology.com/goal-setting-psychology/).
She gathered two hundred and sixty-seven people together; men and women from all over the world, and from all walks of life, including entrepreneurs, educators, healthcare professionals, artists, lawyers and bankers. She divided the participants into groups, according to who wrote down their goals and dreams, and who didn’t. She discovered that those who wrote down their goals and dreams on a regular basis achieved those desires at a significantly higher level than those who did not. In fact, she found that you become 42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams, simply by writing them down on a regular basis. The likelihood that you’ll transform your desires into reality goes up even further if you share your written goals with a friend who believes in your ability to succeed (what I call a “partner in believing”).
As you welcome 2022 and set your new year’s resolutions, focus on making them SMART, write them down, and share them with someone, or a group, who provides support in helping you accomplish your goals! YOU…CAN do this! 2022 BRING IT ON!
