12/31/2024
We're halfway in designing our S.M.A.R.T. goal as we go over "A", which stands for "achievable". One of the biggest reasons we don't hit our goals is because we make them too big. We think they're doable, but in actuality, we're only fighting against our brain and its resistance to change. It's like our brain has a big, red alarm button it hits anytime it detects notable change, so setting small goals allows us to sneak past it. 🥷If you look at things from that angle, "small" goals suddenly aren't so small, but rather, effective.
Keeping with our example S.M.A.R.T. goal, if we didn't take "achievable" into consideration, our goal might sound like, "I'm going to walk on the treadmill for one hour, every day, in order to lose three to four pounds per week." Could you do that? Possibly. Are you likely to do that? Realistically, no. 🙃 On the other hand, setting small goals gives your brain a dopamine hit every time it's victorious. It's similar to the sense of accomplishment we feel each time we cross an item off a to-do list.
If you need a refresher, the S.M.A.R.T. goal we set is, "I will walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes, 3 times per week, in order to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week." Let's break that down even further into, "I will walk on the treadmill for 15 minutes, 3 times per week, in order to lose .5 to 1 pound per week." Making the goal even smaller means we're just that much more likely to accomplish it; not only do we feel victorious, but each additional step we take beyond that goal feels like we're going above and beyond (because we are). Doesn't that feel much better than the sense of disappointment we experience when we don't hit lofty goals? Keep your goal achievable and you will succeed! 🏆
