Let's Talk About Goal Setting

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“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” -Tony Robbins


This time of year, many people are focused on resolutions and goal setting. As we near the end of January, you may be feeling like the month or year is already getting away from you. Take a moment to breathe and to rethink how you approach setting your goals in 2021. Here are some tips and mindsets around goal setting that you can incorporate in order to increase your likelihood of setting and reaching your goals this year. 

1. Remind yourself that goal setting is an ongoing process. I honestly cannot remember the last time that I had New Year resolutions. The more I learned around effective goal setting, the more I realized that the ability to set goals and to adjust them as needed is where the real power in achieving your goals really lie. Planning your goals, but being able to pivot and adjust your goals as life and needs change is totally normal and should be expected. 

2. Know that goal setting is not a sprint. It is a marathon. Unless your goal is literally to participate in a 100 meter dash, you will likely not be rushing to meet your goal, so pace yourself. It is way more likely that the goals you set will be achieved over time. Keep this in mind as you are setting your goals for this year. Consistency and quality work over time is the key to achieving any and every goal. 

3. Make your goals S.M.A.R.T. The process of setting Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound goals work for a reason. Working through this acronym and process helps you to put certain parameters around your goals to increase the likelihood of you achieving them. Often, the reasons that many fail to reach their goals are a result of the goals not being specific or realistic. For example: I am more likely to achieve the goal, "I will lose 15 pounds by March 31, 2021 than I am to achieve a goal that simply states, "I will lose weight."

4. Create an action plan to achieve your goals. Goals die quickly when there is not a plan in place to actually achieve those goals. This is where many goals fail. We stop at setting the goal and never take the extra step to document the actions that will enable us to achieve those goals. 

Using the example above, some action plan items for losing 15 pounds by March 31, 2021 may look like the following:

  • Perform 30 minutes of cardio exercise 5 times a week

  • Drink a gallon of water each day

  • Eat a diet of lean protein, low-glycemic fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and whole grains

  • Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night


5. Get an accountability partner. We are way more likely to achieve our goals when we have someone else holding us accountable. Sometimes this is someone who is trying to reach a similar goal or someone who is trained in helping you to succeed in that particular area of your life. This is why people hire personal trainers and why group coaching and coaching in general is effective. 


Coaching Reflection Question: Now that you have some tips on how to best achieve your goals, what will you commit to achieving this year?

Lekisha Middleton