A lot of our patients set stupid goals. A lot of them set no goals for their health or their life… also stupid.
Here is a way to move you out of a state of deconditioning and despair to making huge improvements in your health, sport, and life. At our office we help our patients set and track goals to not only see improvements of health but also performance.
Take a look at this guide below to see if you are setting the right type of goals to move you toward your end game.
The best way to set S.M.A.R.T. Goals:
S. They must be SPECIFIC in nature.
If you are looking to lose weight you must come up with an exact number of pounds or inches that you plan to lose. Successful athletes always set specific goals at the beginning of each season when they decide what competitions to pursue and how they are going to move up to the level they desire.
M. Must have a MEASURABLE way able to track it
Professional athletes are pros at tracking their performance statistics, everything from batting average to how much salt is in their sweat. Having measurable criteria for your performance is essential to keeping you on course for accomplishing your goals. A great example of this is in weight loss. If you are only tracking pounds lost and the number on the scale goes up despite all your efforts, you would be discouraged and might give up. But if you are also measuring inches, body fat percentage, and energy throughout your day, you might notice you are actually succeeding and the scale hasn’t shown that yet.
A. The goal must be ACTIONABLE
There should be detailed, written steps to achieve any S.M.A.R.T. goals. If your goal is to lose 12 lbs then you need to have a grocery list of healthy foods, exercise time scheduled in your planner, and a support group to hold you accountable. This is the most important step because a goal with a plan is just a wish.
R. The goal does need to be REASONABLE
A goal can be huge in vision and far reaching, but it should not defy the laws of the universe. For example: if someone desires to lose 100lbs, that cannot physically be achieved in 2 weeks but in a few months it is actually a reasonable goal. Athletes who set Olympic goals need to make a plan that reasonable takes into account the vast time, energy, and effort it will take to achieve it.
T. Goals must have a TIMELY deadline
Goals that have no set deadline for achievement are less likely to happen. Time is a limited resource that not given the proper respect it deserves. Take a survey in March to see how many New Year’s Eve Resolutions are still in effect and you will see most people wasted three months, and will wait until next year to try again.
Now that you have this knowledge of setting S.M.A.R.T. goals and not stupid ones, we encourage you to use it to improve your health. At Desired Health Chiropractic, we strive to help turn your dreams into reality through the goal setting process. Schedule an examination with us today to see how we can help you feel better, function better, and perform better.