The timing for this post couldn’t be better. Especially as it relates to your weight loss and fitness plans; but equally as important based on the time of year. December is a very motivating time to plan out the things you want to accomplish in the coming year.

But please don’t misinterpret this and equate goal setting with New Year’s resolutions. New Year’s resolutions in my opinion are a waste of time. Unless you commit to them and follow the steps outlined below, your resolution is only a poor, delusional attempt that will quietly fade away, lacking any results or achievement.

Without ongoing focus and accountability, it’s like placing your faith in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny.

So let’s assume that we all know the obvious answer to the question, “Does goal setting work?”. And that you already know what goal setting is and why you should set goals; so we can dig right into how to set them.

Achieving a goal not only makes you feel great, the sense of accomplishment motivates you to set more challenging ones in the future.

How To Set Goals

Let’s face it, there’s a wealth of information on goal setting. My goal here is to share some basic strategies that I’ve learned and have used successfully to help you get the most out of your setting & achieving initiatives.

I hope to be able to influence your thinking because setting goals and effectively achieving them is an essential fundamental skill that you must master if you’re going to take control of your life, including your health & wellness. And isn’t this what Thin2Win is all about?

You’ve probably heard of and perhaps even tried the widely publicized S.M.A.R.T. methodology for goal setting, which helps you establish concrete and achievable goals. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

If you’re new to goal setting, the SMART template is a good place to start. So let’s take a closer look:

Specific – Your goal should include detail, but it should also be clear and easy to understand.

Measurable – How will you track your progress and know when you’ve reached your goal? Include some tangible ways to keep score.

Attainable – Make sure it’s realistic (and believable to you). Your goal should take you out of your comfort zone, but not be too extreme. I’ve heard it said that your goals should scare and excite you at the same time.

Relevant – Make it important to you and where you’re heading.

Time-bound – You need a deadline. Determine realistically when you want to complete this because without a finish line, your goal is more like a wish or a dream. So bookend it with a time frame and create a sense of urgency to help you to get it done.

Other Goal Setting Basics:

1. First off, you have to determine what you want to accomplish. This is so essential but can sometimes be one of the most difficult elements. Put another way, without a target or destination, you have no idea where you are going. So figure it out up front.
2. They must be in writing. Until you put your goals in writing, they’re only dreams or fantasies. There’s an amazing, magical force that occurs when you put your goals on paper and develop plans for their accomplishment.
3. They must be positive. Your brain is like a super computer. It will process exactly what you program it with, positive or negative. You’ve heard sayings like “thoughts are things”, “you are what you think about”, “the power of positive thinking”, “the magic of thinking big”… Well it’s true. What you think about on the inside manifests itself on the outside.
4. You should only set a few major annual goals, and no more. Why? It’s gonna take effort and focus, and you can’t humanly focus on too many things. It’s like the old proverb about the person who chases 2 rabbits and catches neither. Keep it manageable with 3 major goals.
5. You should think about your goals daily, review them regularly, and track your progress. Hey, you’re human so you will find yourself drifting off-course at times. It’s okay. But remember, you can’t measure what you can’t see. So establish times to review your goals, and then re-calibrate when necessary.
6. You should chunk your bigger goals down into smaller, mini-goals. This helps to make them less daunting in the beginning and allows you to prioritize your next step.
7. You need a strong WHY. Or better yet, a lot of WHY’s. Forget about willpower. That only takes you so far. Motivation is easy in the beginning. Your “WHY-power” will help you stay motivated and focused on what’s important during the inevitable obstacles & setbacks you’ll encounter along the way. This means if you associate more meaning with WHY you want to accomplish your goal, you position yourself to be unstoppable, despite the challenges you’ll face.
8. Visualize your desired outcome. You need to be able to see it before you can make it happen. And visualization is a powerful technique that can help. It’s like a muscle; the more you use it the stronger it gets. But it’s not a substitute for hard work.

One Final Comment:

Think about your goal as if you are standing at the bottom of a staircase and your goal is sitting at the top. To succeed at accomplishing your goal, you don’t have to figure out every step of the way before you start. All you need to do is figure out the next step, and take it. Then figure out the next step, and take it… all the way up until you reach your goal. It’s mainly about taking action, then assessing, and taking more action. And at some point momentum will kick in and help you break through the finish line. I recently learned this valuable tip from Darren Hardy and think it’s an interesting way to put the process in perspective, which can seem daunting and overwhelming at times. So determine what you want to accomplish, then simply figure out the next step, and take it!

In closing, take some quiet time over the next couple weeks (without your phone, email, TV, or any other distractions), where you can just sit and think. And think about what you want to accomplish in the coming year. Jot it down on paper. Start out simple and just set one major goal for the year, and a couple minor ones. Then go through the process of the SMART template and the other goal setting basics outlined above to allow your goal to take shape. Then don’t worry about how you’re gonna get it all done. Do what Darren said and figure out the next step, and take it!

Here’s to your health, happiness, prosperity, and success in 2015!!!