How to create a goal you will stick to

January 17, 2020

We’ve all done it, started your week, month or year off with good intentions. But sadly, around 80% of us lose focus and fall back into old habits. So how can you stay focused? And what’s more, how can you make your goals easy, fun and achievable?

Well, it’s SIMPLE:

S – SET GOALS: Any goal that you set should be realistic, small and timed. If you want to exercise more, plan to go for a walk at lunch 3 x a week for the next three weeks or go to the gym straight from work 2 x a week. If it’s concrete, it will become a habit and then a part of your life.

I – INTERESTING: Make your goal fun. Include your friends and family, and share your goal with others so that it doesn’t become a chore. A goal should never feel like work. So, if you’re heading out for a run, take a friend or even your pet. Exercise won’t last if you don’t enjoy it

M – MEASURE: In life, we all love a good tick list. Your goal shouldn’t be any different. Make yourself accountable and use markers to check progress and inspire you to continue. But DON’T make them unachievable. Rome wasn’t built in a day and the mountain to success will have ups and downs

P – PATIENCE: Just as mentioned above, you will have ups and downs. You will miss a day or a week. Life is unexpected but you mustn’t beat yourself up. By tracking your progress whether it is with a food app or a health app, you can inspire yourself to keep going

L – LISTEN: Whether it is a diet, exercise, work or a social goal, your body and mind is the best and worst motivator. You won’t achieve your goals if you don’t reflect and take time to be with your thoughts. It will help you analyse what has gone well and what hasn’t and then guide you back on the right path. Often life is so ‘busy’ that we stop because we don’t have time. There is always time, you just have to make a conscious effort to decide

E – EXPRESS: This one is often missed. But the more you do, talk and involve yourself in your goal, the more habitual it will become. If you have a career goal, talk about it with your loved ones and the more you do, the more you motivate yourself towards it. Plus, you might get good tips and tricks from your friends or they may even join in; teamwork makes a dreamwork after all.