SMART Goals Achieve Results

In last week’s Reflections, we celebrated the journey to a healthier and happier life. This week, I want to focus on the destination, or results of that journey. Endless summers and chasing the next wave are enticing images, but when well-being is at stake, a clearly defined end-point and a detailed step-by-step itinerary are critical to a successful trip.

The Wellcoaches® model of wellness planning is deeply rooted in the science of behavioral change. A few key findings of that science are: a) the value of a compelling vision that paints a picture of the desired lifestyle a year or more from now; b) the importance of allowing time for meaningful and lasting changes to become established (it takes at least three months to build from thinking about a new behavior to doing it regularly); and c) the effectiveness of moving toward the vision by taking small steps, rather than attempting to change in giant leaps.
With support and guidance from a wellness coach, the client generates a long-term vision, a limited set of three-month goals, and a new set of short-term goals every week. Unlike the vision, which describes results (pounds lost), goals describe actions that will lead toward those results (eating less of certain foods).

Powerful behavioral goals have five key characteristics: They are
1. specific, so you know whether you are doing what you said you would do.
2. measurable, so you can evaluate success objectively.
3. action-oriented, so you are monitoring behaviors that you can observe.
4. realistic, so that success in the short term generates energy for the longer term.
5. time-specific, because an entry on the calendar focuses and strengthens commitment.

The acronym for these characteristics is S-M-A-R-T—so we call them SMART goals.

It is important that goals are written down, helpful if they are shared with others for accountability, and essential that progress is monitored and evaluated frequently, with room for regular adjustment based on lessons learned. The underlying intent is not so much to plan-and-implement, but to experiment-and-adapt.

Let’s return for a moment to the value of the journey itself. It is exciting to experience progress toward specific outcomes, and it is also exciting to expand our capacity to change and grow in a direction of our choosing. With new insights and skills to draw upon, we can accept the full range of life’s challenges with increased confidence and optimism.

Until the next time, be well.

Pam