How to Set Goals That You’ll Keep
Yes, it’s New Year and you’ll probably see these lists everywhere, but it’s important to remember that goals can (and should!) be set year round. If you have something to work towards, your motivation will follow. So keep these points in mind now, but remember them in March when you have a whole new set of goals!
Don’t Set Too Many
We can easily get carried away with all our good intentions at the beginning of a new year and vow to change a whole heap of things about ourselves. However, when you give yourself too many new changes to take on, you are more likely to fail on most of them. Start with just two or three goals that you would like to achieve and work out a tangible way of reaching them.
Be Specific
It’s easy to say I want to lose weight, I want to be rich, I want to travel more. But how exactly are you going to lose weight and in what time frame? What steps are you going to make towards making money? Where do you want to travel to and when do you want to go? Break your goals down and ask yourself questions about how they can be achieved. By being more specific you are more likely to succeed as you have a clearer idea of what it is you want.
Be Realistic
‘I want to lose two stone in a month’ is a rather unrealistic goal to set yourself. You are unlikely to achieve something that seems impossible, especially if you don’t see quick results. Asking yourself how long has it taken for you to gain the weight you want to lose is a good starting point as it will probably take you the same amount of time to lose it If your goal is to travel more, saying ‘I want to travel the world’ is a larger concept than, ‘I want to go to two new countries this year’.
Start by Making Small Changes
Sometimes the size of our goal seems so mammoth and so far out of reach, that you give up at the sheer thought of how long you have to go. But if you start by setting small goalposts to reach and just look towards that first hurdle, then reaching that point will seem a lot more manageable. Once you’re past that first point you’ve set yourself, you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll reach the next one.
Keep Motivated
Losing motivating is a common factor as to why people give up on their goals. To keep yourself on track, look for motivation in others: surround yourself with like minded people who you’re inspired by and who have similar aspirations. Keep reminding yourself of how much healthier/energetic/accomplished you’ll feel. Find things that motivate you: be it a calendar/list to tick off, social media posts to push you to your goals, or keeping a journal of your progress. Above all, remember why you’re doing what you’re doing.
This blog was written by Neat Ambassador, Korin Nolan. Korin is the founder of Power Pilates UK (Dynamic Reformer Pilates Studio based in South East London) and started her Pilates training at The London a college of Dance, before qualifying with Body Control Pilates over twelve years ago. Korin has had a varied career also working in TV as a presenter on Five’s The Wright Stuff for four years. She went on to co write her cookery book 'How to Cook in High Heels' (released in 2010 with Absolute Press) which demonstrated her love for healthy food, as well as a few naughty treats! Following the birth of her second baby Olivia Grace earlier this year, Korin developed her unique online fitness plan The Baby Body Bootcamp, for busy mums on the go and is suitable for postpartum mums.