Setting Smart Goals - Guidelines to Setting Attainable Goals

Living the life you've dreamed of starts in your mind. If you can think it, you can do it. However, you do need a plan. We know how the story goes. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. The only way to carry out goals is to set them and make plans to do them.

Here are five things to remember when you are trying to reach your goals.

1. Set a date to reach your goal then work on it in smaller time increments.
If you want to complete your big goal within one year, divide the year into four parts. Every three months is a check point in your progress. Divide the three-month sections into smaller chunks of time. Monthly, weekly and daily. Schedule time to work toward your goal every day. Doing this will give you small victories along the way to your big goal. For example, if you want to lose twenty pounds in a year, that's five pounds every three months. To lose five pounds in three months, you need to lose 1.67 pounds every month. That's less than a half a pound every week. Losing a half a pounds sounds like a way more realistic than twenty pounds. Make sure your daily activities are in line with your ultimate goal.

2. Be flexible.
Give yourself some wiggle room in reaching your goal. Life happens. A set back or two or three should not throw you completely off track. Adjust and keep moving forward. Baby steps in the right direction are still steps. For example, to lose a half a pound a week, you have to complete 1 hour of cardiovascular exercise 3-4 times per week and your schedule only allows you to work out in the morning. If you over sleep, don't completely forego working out. Workout for 20 minutes or 15 minutes. Something is better than nothing.

3. Apply measurable goals to your plan.
Measurable goals are very precise. You will know if you have met them or not. Saying you're going to exercise in the morning is different from deciding that you are going to get up at 5:30am and run on the treadmill for 45 minutes. Doing this will keep you much more focused on the task at hand.

4. Remember why you set the goal when things aren't going as planned.
Sometimes you get tired and discouraged for one reason or another, tapping into the reason you wanted to achieve the goal will encourage you.. For example, reaching a plateau in your weight-loss is discouraging, but it happens. That is the time to tap into why you wanted to lose twenty pounds in the first place and remember that your doctor told you have to lose twenty pounds so you do not have to take high blood pressure medication. Remember how important it is to you to stay off of medication and stay healthy for your children.

5. Get an accountability partner.
When the cat is away, the mice will play. It's easy for you to slack on personal goals when you don't have anyone to point out that you're off track. Tell someone your goal. Then share daily, weekly, or monthly progress. You accountability partner should encourage you and check in on you when you don't report any progress. People who have a work out partner are more likely to work out regularly than people who don't.

You can do anything you make up your mind to do. Set a date to reach your goal. Chop that big goal into smaller time increments. Celebrate small victories along the way. Be flexible in your routine. Baby steps are still forward movement. Remember why you set the goal to help you stay focus when you get discouraged. Have some one hold you accountable along the way.

Fancy Free, LLC. helps everyday people reach their financial and personal goals through various vehicles. Call me at (410) 929-0302 for your complimentary consultation.

Let us help you meet your goals!

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