Goal setting. How hard can it be?
Thought I would have a wee chat about goal setting, as someone had said that it must be easy for us (trainers), however it is not always easy. There are some fundamentals we are taught when studying to be professionals in this area, and one of the most common one that most people may have heard off is called S.M.A.R.T goal setting.
Specific, this just means that it is some form of specific target, so instead of “I want to get fit” it maybe I want to be able to run 10 km.
Measurable, this basically just means how you judge your progress towards the goal you have set, which is often linked into the timebound aspect. E.g. I can run/walk 1km in week one, week 2 I can now run all of the 1 km.
Attainable, is it something that you can realistically be expected to be able to complete? An example of an unachievable goal would be I want to be loose 20kg in a month (over exaggerated I know)
Relevant, is my goal relevant to what I want to do overall? E.g., setting a goal that you want, not what someone else may expect you to do.
And often one of the most important (though they all are and need to work together) is Timebound. Is the goal you have set, some thing that is realistic to achieve in the time you are setting.
I would also argue there is another letter to add to the end, which would make it S.M.A.R.T.S. with the extra S standing for sustainable. Is the goal that you have set yourself something that you not only want to do, but something you want to be able to maintain long term?
It’s ok if the particular goal you have set is NOT something you want to stick to long term, however this brings up what is the most important (to me) when setting goals.
It’s a very simple question to ask yourself, or have someone ask you, WHAT’S NEXT?” and this is where we can fall into a trap. I have done tis to myself, where I have had a goal (thinking of body building) and had the huge rush of not only getting on stage but doing well. However I really did not have a what’s next plan, so I struggled with motivation, mentally I went downhill and physically I struggled to get into a healthy routine. Same for a lot of my classmates after we finished our degrees, after graduation a lot of us felt flat and at a loss.
It’s important to be able to have a plan, but it’s also just as important to have a what’s next in the background. So, what is your goal, and what’s next for you?
