The Secret to Setting Goals: 3 Tips That Will Help Make Your Dreams a Reality

And just like that, we’re halfway through the first month of the year! I’m sure you, like most people, set some type of goal, habit, or resolution for 2021. How’s that going? Are you sticking to your goals? Or are you struggling to make these new habits part of your daily routine?

If you are struggling, no judgement, we have all been there before. We set these big, amazing goals for ourselves and then feel discouraged when we start to slack off before the first month of the year is even over.

But it doesn’t have to be that way! I’m here to share the secret to success when it comes to setting goals. Here are my three tips for setting health-related goals that will actually stick.

1. Start Small

The biggest mistake I see people make when they set goals is that they jump right in. Now don’t get me wrong, I love to see someone who is highly motivated to reach their goals but to reach that big, amazing goal we must start small. For example, if your goal is to run a marathon you don’t just put on your running shoes and run over 23 miles on day one. You train for the marathon! You take months and slowly work up to that final distance.

My favorite way to do this is to work backwards. Start with that big goal and then brainstorm small goals that you will need to hit along the way to make that big goal a reality. These small goals are much more attainable and make the big goal less scary!

2. Remove the Friction

This means setting yourself up for success by identifying any excuses that might come up along the way. For this example, let’s say your goal is to workout one morning before work. Start by thinking of all the things you normally do before you go to work (get ready, make coffee, eat breakfast, etc.). Now, think about all the ways you could make those things a little bit easier and more time efficient. Can you pack your gym bag or lay out all the clothes you need the night before? Can you set a timer on the coffee maker, so you have coffee waiting for you when you wake up?

By identifying everything that could cause friction or interfere with your goal you are setting yourself up for success. You also learn a lot about yourself and the habits you already have in place during this process.

3. Embrace Failure

Yes, you read that correctly, I want you to embrace your failures. If you fail at a goal it only means you didn’t go about it correctly or you started too big. For example, if you want to drink more water during the day but don’t have a water bottle or expect to go from 8oz to 1 gallon, you will fail, and that’s ok! This failure shows you that you need to approach the goal differently to find success. Failing at goal does not mean you are unable to reach said goal, it just means getting there might look a little bit different than you first thought.

Now there’s one more secret I want to share with you and that is finding your why. In realty, this should be the first step you take when setting a goal because it shows you exactly why you want something. It gives the goal purpose and makes achieving that goal feel even more special. To do this, you must ask yourself why. Why do I want to achieve this? Why is this important to me?

By finding your why, and following the three steps listed above, you will be able to achieve any goal you set for yourself. If the goals you have in mind still feel a bit scary or you are unsure of where to start, that’s ok. Fill out the contact form on my website and we can chat about making these big, amazing goals a reality for you!