| Think S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-based)Goals
should be specific and have time-based benchmarks. The more specific
the goal, the easier it is to achieve and stick to. For example, “I want
to lose weight this year” will be much more difficult to stick to than
“I want to lose 10 kg by the end of July and fit into my favorite pair
of jeans.” Make it even more specific by breaking this goal down
further: “I aim to lose 1 kg a week for the next 12 weeks.”Write
your goal down and think about it every day. Write it on a post-it note
and stick it somewhere visible, such as your bathroom mirror or the
refrigerator door. Try to keep the wording as positive as possible.“A goal without a plan is just a wish” – Antoine de Saint-ExuperyCome
up with a clear plan on how you will achieve your goal. This also needs
to be specific and time-tracked. Write your plan down so that you can
revisit it from time to time and stay on track. It helps to have
short-term as well as long-term action plans. This way, you are breaking
your goals up into manageable and achievable chunks.Tell
others about your goal or get them to join you. Being accountable is
important, but also feeling like someone else is “on your side” can
serve as extra motivation.Believe
you can achieve it. This is more important than you may think, as
self-belief goes a long way in keeping you motivated and focused on the
end result when things get tough. Don’t
be too hard on yourself. If it is a bad habit you are trying to break
or a new good habit you are trying to start, remember that it takes time
to change a conditioned behavior. It would have taken you some time to
get to where you are now, so it will take some time to get to where you
want to be. Your goals should therefore be attainable and realistic. If
things don’t go as planned, don’t be tempted to give up. Instead, pick
yourself up and start over the next day. Struggling with motivation? |
