- Set goals that are specific enough so that they can be assessed easily as to whether they are being achieved. For example, saying "I will eat healthy food" is not specific enough but "I will consume 1500 calories a day" is better because that is something we can measure.
- Set goals with the time specified as to when the target should be reached. For example, saying "I will lose weight" is not as good as "I will lose four pounds in one month."
- Set goals that are realistic where we can be confident that we can achieve those goals. For instance, let's not say "I will never go to buffets again" but instead let's say "I'll try not to go to buffets but if I find myself there with friends or family, I will eat smaller portions and choose foods that will make me healthy."
- Set goals that stress the positive rather than the negative. Instead of saying "I will not eat desserts" say "I will eat fruits for dessert."
- Set goals that consider winning in small ways rather than giant leaps. Why? Because trying to change one's lifestyle requires planning that takes time and effort.
- Set goals that recognize and reward small gains. For example, saying "I will cut down my restaurant meals to two a week" is not as good as "If I cut down my restaurant meals to twice a week, I will buy myself a nice scarf with the money I save".
There you have the elements that will lead to a successful goal setting. Hopefully, this will stop us from talking to ourselves in a negative way and avoid the use of "should" as this word could just make us resentful later on. Next time I blog, I will focus on how much weight loss to set as a goal.
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