Goal Setting
Goal Setting and Action Plans for 2022.
The first two months of 2022 might be finished, but that doesn’t mean your 2022 goals should be and even if your initial enthusiasm has waned, now is the time to fire up again!
The main reason that new year’s resolutions and goals have often fizzled out after a month or two are usually due to a lack of thought and planning going into those goals. If the goal is long term and ambitious, people are likely to abandon it early if they are not seeing results straight away, therefore multiple short-term goals, or an action plan need to be included with your long-term goal.
Whether short or long term, all goals should be 5 things – Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time manageable, or ‘SMART’.
Specific: Be as specific as possible when goal setting, the more targeted and narrow the objective, the clearer the steps to achieve it will be. For example, rather than saying your goal is to increase lower body strength this year, make your goal, increasing your 3RM deadlift by 15% by September.
Measurable: If a goal is measurable it needs to be objective and have evidence that can support your progress. This should be easily applied to most fitness and strength related goals, as things can easily be measured via time, reps, weight, calories, distance etc.
Achievable: The goal needs to be reasonable that you will be able to achieve it in the time frame you set out. Aiming high is generally a positive approach, if you’re not overreaching beyond your abilities. However, having a detailed action plan can make ambitious goals more achievable.
Relevant: When setting your goal, ask yourself why it is important to you, how it helps you and what it is contributing to your long-term goals and future. A goal that is relevant and aligned with your values and objectives will keep you motivated to achieve it.
Time Manageable: Finally, your goal should have a time frame. The time frame should of course be relevant and realistic to the specific goal. Having an end date can increase your motivation and can help you track your progress and set smaller progress goals based on time increments.
If you have a goal in mind for this year, season, or even month and need some guidance on how to make your goal more ‘SMART’, and/or how to get there, please don’t hesitate to contact us via email, social media or have a chat to me in the gym.
- Sarah Mantova
B. ExSS (Hons), AES and Strength and Conditioning Coach
