I honestly don’t believe that most people truly understand how to set and achieve goals. It isn’t about being capable of achieving them. The struggle lies in being realistic and staying motivated.
There is a lot of information out there about goal setting, and a large amount of that info touches on SMART goals. If you’ve never heard of SMART goals before, I’ll give you a very brief overview.
S=Specific | M=Measurable | A=Achievable | R=Realistic | T=Timely
Following the SMART method is a way to be so intentional about your goals that you are almost incapable of not following your plan through.
But that pesky R… being realistic… is probably the most difficult component to master because it requires that you have a true understanding of where your limitations are.
For example, if you set a goal of losing 40 pounds (specific), plan to weigh in weekly (measurable), when you’re fairly overweight (achievable), and have the goal to complete that weight loss by the date of your high school reunion (timely), it sounds great! But if your reunion is in 3 weeks, that component of being realistic will bite you in the ass. 3 weeks will pass and you’ll only lose 7 pounds, and then you’ll feel like a failure.
We live in a time when instant gratification is rampant. We don’t have the attention spans we used to. I’ve been told that I have to hook someone in 5 seconds if I want them to watch one of my YouTube videos. 5 seconds! I can barely say hello in that much time.
There are some wonderful things about having everything at our fingertips. But it works against us when it comes to planning forward. It’s unhealthy to set an unrealistic goal. Not only to your body, but also to your mind and your emotions. You get a false narrative of what you’re capable of achieving.
Slow yourself down. Focus on the baby steps. On the consistent, constant trudge through the mud to get to that goal at the end of the path.
It might take weeks, months… even years to get what you want. But I promise, promise, promise that it’s worth it.
HUSTLE UP GIRL 