At the start of the New Year, your belief in a better future is ignited by the image of clean slate.  With a fresh start, you feel certain that things can be different.  You will exercise daily, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, drink less coffee and alchohol, and start meditating.  With this burst of enthusiasm, you often set ambitious goals.  Your endorphin-enhanced brain is convinced that, this time, you will succeed.  Invariably, enthusiasm wanes with the passage of time and your new habits wither on the vine.  You feel undisciplined, weak-willed, and lazy.  If you want to skip this painful, all too familiar scenario, read and post these 5 guidelines for SMART goals.

S - Specific
Be precise in describing what you will do.  Enhance your decision by picturing the goal.  "Exercise more" is too general.  "Ride my bike" is specific.

M - Measurable.
You need metrics to let you know when you have completed an action step.  Use minutes, days per week, and intensity to create measurable elements.  If you have been sedentary for several years, you might want to start with a 20-minute ride twice a week at a leisurely pace in flat terrain. 

A - Action-based
Always choose an action step that can be performed so you get the feeling of accomplishment that comes from completion.  "Avoiding unhealthy foods" is not action-based.  Doubling your intake of green leafy vegetables is action-based.

R- Realistic
Unrealistic goals set you up for failure.  After you decide on a goal, write it down and ask yourself if it feels doable.  (See Litmus Test below)

T - Time-bound
Having a deadline will move you ahead more rapidly, so set some up for each goal.  Include both short and long-term goals.  And when you complete a specific, action step within the realistic time frame you have allotted, celebrate!!!

Next month we will discuss the ABC's of goal-setting:  Awareness, Back-up, and Commitment. If a little voice inside you has been nodding and saying, yeah, this is what I need, then heed your instincts and take your first action step now.   Click here to set up a wellness coaching consultation for 2010 and beyond.