Setting goals for success

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/01/2019 (2499 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s a new year, and you’ve fallen into the trap that many of us do — you’ve made “getting healthy” your resolution. Don’t get us wrong, becoming healthier is a great thing to do, but that goal is far too vague.

As in business, your personal goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound).

Instead of saying you want to get healthy, you could instead make your goal one of the following:

• I will exercise for 30 minutes three times each week;
• I will spend 30 minutes practising mindfulness four times each week;
• I will lose 18 pounds in six months.

Achieving your goals

Once you’ve set your SMART goal, you must find a way or ways to achieve it. How will you hold yourself accountable? How will you know when to increase (or decrease) your efforts? Here are some tips to help you achieve your goals:

• Take small steps — Don’t run out of the gate at full steam; ease into your efforts and set mini-goals along the way.
• Be consistent — If you said you’re going to practise mindfulness, set regular times and stick to them.
• Tell someone — Sharing your goals with someone else is a great way to hold yourself accountable and it removes some of the feelings of “I’m doing this alone.”
• Track your progress — Use a time-proven method, such as journalling, to track your physical and mental health goals and you’ll visually see how far you have come.
• Celebrate successes — Met your first mini goal? Fantastic! Celebrate with a healthy reward or activity.

Benefits of goal-setting

There are many benefits to setting SMART goals. For one, when you achieve your goals, your brain releases dopamine, a feel-good chemical in your body. In turn this can make you happier and provide the necessary motivation to keep tackling your goals. In addition, setting goals helps your grow as a person. By working toward and achieving your goals, your self-esteem is boosted, which can improve your overall health and personal satisfaction. And thus the cycle of setting and tackling goals continues, all to your benefit.

Ask for help

Goal-setting doesn’t have to be a solo undertaking. Work with our trained staff to set the goal that’s right for you and let us help you along the way!

— In 2019 the YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg is proud to celebrate 140 years of community.