The Art of Goal Setting: How to Set and Achieve Goals For Long-Term Success

We’re closing in on 2022, which means goal setting is top of mind for many people. And this made me begin thinking about why goals are important, especially in relation to your health.

Research has shown that the act of goal setting makes you 10 times more likely to experience success, but there’s a caveat: In order to reach your goals, you have to know how to set them appropriately. [1]

So, let’s talk about goal setting, I’ll share my 5-step plan for setting and achieving your goals to help set you up for success. Remember, whatever you want to accomplish over the next year is achievable—but knowing where to start is key!

Do You Really Need to Set Goals?

That’s the big question, right? Is it really necessary to set goals?

The answer is a resounding yes. Here’s why: According to a 2017 meta-analysis, goal setting provides motivation for behavioral adjustments that actually help us accomplish what it is we set out to do! [2]

If you think about this in terms of your health, it’s not simply enough to want to feel great and “be healthy,” but you have to set a specific goal that, according to the researchers, fits three parameters: 1) difficult, 2) set publicly, and 3) is a group goal.

This doesn’t mean that you need to make your goal so difficult that it’s unachievable. In fact, it needs to be something attainable and realistic; otherwise, you risk becoming frustrated and unmotivated.

Keep reading for my top five ways to achieve your goals, where I’ll discuss exactly what you should do to set yourself up for success!

5 Ways to Achieve Your Goals

Here is my five-step plan to help you set and achieve your goals this year.

1. Use The SMART System.

Have you heard of the SMART system? This goal setting technique was first released in 1981 and has since been utilized by both corporations and individuals to help set and achieve goals.

The acronym SMART stands for:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

The idea behind the SMART system is that creating a goal that fits each of these parameters makes you more likely to achieve it. So, when considering what your goal is, ask yourself if it’s a SMART goal.

If it isn’t, determine how you can adjust it so that it fits these parameters. Then, proceed to step 2.

2. Prioritize Your Goals.

Life is incredibly busy these days, and if you’re like most people, you have a lot you want to accomplish. But you simply can’t do it all at once.

For example, I’ve never been an advocate for going on a “diet.” That only sets you up for an unsustainable, unhealthy mindset.

So, if you truly want to improve your health, consider which area of your health needs the most immediate focus and make small changes—one at a time.

What does this look like? Instead of saying you want to eat “healthier” and exercise more, decide on where and when you can add more plants to your pattern of eating or commit to going outside and walking for 10 minutes each day.

Start with small changes that you can build upon over time. Just make sure you know which goal to begin with so that you can maintain the motivation to keep going!

3. Be Realistic.

We often feel like we need to go from zero to 100 to be successful. However, modifications take time—and when you are just starting out, you are more likely to experience success with realistic and attainable goals.

One of the major secrets to successful goal setting is to remain realistic. If you’re not used to moving your body, you’re going to need to start small, with intentional movement that is tailored to you.

The same is true for your pattern of eating. If you are looking to improve your blood sugar by reducing your sugar-sweetened beverage intake, think about alternatives that are tasty while setting goals for reducing your intake.

For example, if you are consuming 2 liters of sugar-sweetened beverages each day, try to cut back by 2 glasses and use a replacement that’s better for you. Eventually, the replacements will be the majority of your beverage intake.

4. Adjust Your Environment.

Let’s use the sugar-sweetened beverage example above to illustrate how adjusting your environment can be an effective goal setting step.

If you’re used to having your soda or beverage while watching TV, you may benefit from modifying your behavior. Believe it or not, simply sitting down to watch television may be subconsciously signaling your body to grab that soda.

Instead, consider separating the beverage intake from the TV watching.

If you like to do something while watching TV, try a non-food or drink related activity. By adjusting the external stimuli, you are sending your brain a different signal.

5. Growth, Not Just Results.

Finally, the last tip for successful goal setting is all about focusing on your growth and not the results. While that can be difficult to do, it’s important for maintaining motivation.

Here’s a great way to practice this step: Each week, take time to consider the improvements you’ve made over the last seven days. If you progressed from walking 10 minutes each day to 15 minutes daily, focus on the fact that you’ve added another 35 minutes of movement to your weekly routine.

By focusing on your growth instead of just looking at a number on a scale will help to keep you motivated. In fact, the number on the scale may or may not be meaningful.

The same rule applies to adjusting your eating patterns. Instead of the diet deprivation mindset where you focus on just the end result, remind yourself of how delicious and satisfying it is to eat and enjoy a variety of nutritious foods. Those small wins really do add up over time!

Shifting Your Goals As Life Changes

Now that you know exactly what to do when goal setting, it’s important to keep in mind that just as life changes, your goals can and should adjust to where you are. Life is not static; I often say that life happens, and we need to allow space for life to unfold before us.

Take, for example, the onset of the pandemic. If your goal at that time had been to go to the gym three days each week, it could’ve been easy to adapt the failure mindset when they were all closed.

But by shifting your goals, you can avoid feeling like a failure over a life change for which you had no control. Simply deciding to shift your goal to incorporating extra movement three days each week would have made the goal far more achievable.

Just keep in mind that achieving your goals isn’t only about the results but the small wins along the way. Adapting this mindset really is the key for success—both physically and mentally.