T for Time Bound – Set a deadline, or set multiple deadlines for various stages of progress towards your goal. For example, I want to lose 10 pounds by May 24, 2008, so I need to lose about 2 pounds per month.
Plan your fitness strategy
Once you’ve thought about your SMART Goal, it’s time to plan the strategy of how you’re going to achieve it. Here are some tips for setting a strategy of increasing your physical activity, and then sticking to it:
Commit your goal to paper – When you write out your goal, make sure it meets all the criteria for being a SMART goal. By committing your SMART Goal to paper, you’re demonstrating a serious commitment to achieving your goal.
Keep it visible – post your written SMART Goal where you can see it – on your bathroom mirror, on your fridge, on your office wall, in your electronic task list, etc. If it’s visible, it will be harder to forget about.
Share your goal – if you’ve shown your written SMART Goal to a friend or family member, you’ll feel a greater sense of commitment to your goal. Now it’s not just you that will want to see you succeed in attaining your Goal.
Be accountable – ask your friend of family member to check in with you at specific time intervals to see how you’re progressing towards your Goal. Maybe set regular times for a brief meal together or a phone call once a month to check in.
Work as a team – encourage a likeminded friend or family member to work towards their health and wellness goal along side you. It’s been proven that people are more likely to stick with their exercise plans if they do it with a friend.
Make appointments with yourself – Treat your exercise times as you would any other important meeting. Put your scheduled exercise time into your day timer. If someone wants to meet with you, these time slots are unavailable.
Hire an expert – what do organizations do when they have a goal but don’t know how to get there? They bring in the consultants. If you’re not sure how to get started on your Physical Activity plan, consult with a certified trainer or qualified group exercise instructor. Not only will these coaches teach you what you need to do in order to meet your goals, they can help you stay motivated as well.
Plan a reward – establish a reward system for yourself to recognize the achievement of each stage of your goal. For example, write down on your SMART Goal page that for every 20 workouts, you’ll buy yourself a new exercise top, or a night out at a show. This will give you something to look forward to as you reach each target. Plan a larger reward for when you reach your ultimate goal.
Think positive – don’t let small set backs defeat you. Think of exercise like brushing your teeth. We all know we should do it regularly. But every once in a while, we miss a session, and we just don’t feel right until we brush our teeth again. Exercise is much the same. We feel great if we do it consistently. If you find an activity you enjoy, and you stick with it, eventually it will be come like brushing your teeth. You’ll look forward to the way you feel once you’re done, and will miss it if you don’t.
