No matter how big or small your goal-whether it’s losing 5 or 50 pounds, walking a mile or running your first marathon, making change requires planning, SMART goal setting and reflecting on the past achievements or the things that didn’t quite go to plan.

  • Start Now
  • Identify What You Want – Write it down!

Make Your Goals SMART:

Specific: Well defined so that anyone can understand your goal

Measurable: Have parameters to know if the goal was achieved (and celebrate when it is!)

Attainable: Must be a realistic goal that challenges you

Relevant: Make sure the goal is consistent with your other goals and will aid you in achieving long term goals

Timebound: Create a time frame for when you want to accomplish the goal

Acknowledge The Hurdles:

  • What obstacles do you see yourself encountering?
  • How will you overcome these obstacles?
  • Do you have any specific concerns regarding the achievability of these goals?


Here you need to think about your weaknesses:  

Why have you not already achieved what you’d like to?  What are the personal, professional, and circumstantial barriers that got in the way?  How can your time management be more effective?

Make Sacrifices:

‘Lack of time’ is a common obstacle.  What are you willing to give up or spend less time doing right now to free up some time.

Accountability:

Make your goals public by sharing with friends and family.  Not only will this hold you accountable, it will also help you find out who really wants you to achieve! They will be the positive, optimistic and encouraging characters who are most probably goal setting for themselves too.  Surround yourself with this type and achieve together.

One of my short term goals… to feel more energised at the weekends (I know that when running in the morning, I’m a much more productive being which will aid my completion of the must do ‘boring tasks’ before enjoying the weekends social happenings)

S. I will complete a local 5km run every Saturday morning before starting any other weekend tasks or activities.  I will improve my completion time each week over four weeks.

(I’m pretty damn exhausted by Friday and it’s tempting lie in on Saturday mornings, however I know that every time I get up and go, I feel a million times better and more energised for the day ahead)

M. My run will be tracked on Strava and I’m also going to encourage a friend to run with me so we’re in it together!

A. With a new organised group run just five minutes away from my home this is now achievable to do within an hour (including quick shower after) so I’m ready for the weekend by 10am.

R. This fits into another goal of meeting new people with similar active interests.

T. I can put this into practice immediately but here my aim is to have four recorded runs by the end Jan.

Give it a go yourself using the following structure:

Complete up to three goals per time period of the suggested:

Short Term (4- 5 weeks)

Mid Term (1 – 3 months)

Long Term ( 3 – 6 months)

SHORT-TERM GOALS (within 1 month)

Date of Goal Setting:

List your short-term goals/   Date Achieved
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What if any obstacles do you see yourself encountering?
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How will you overcome these obstacles?
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Do you have specific concerns regarding the achievability of these goals?
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