How to make resolutions like a boss!
Published December 31st, 2020
Approx. 6 minute read
Get a pen and paper. We are about to get this done and done right!
For starters, working on too many goals can be overwhelming, so making 1-3 goals at a time is a good start. ( If more come to mind during this exercise, jot them down and rank them by priority )
Start with 1 goal
Start with one goal…. go ahead and write it down.
However, this single goal may lead you to make 3 smaller ones to achieve it, you’ll see.
If you’re not quite ready to make one you can always come back to this blog to recall how to make your goal or resolution, but S. M. A. R. T. Is the mnemonic to remember
S is for Specific.
Be specific and avoid what we call “wish washy” goals. For example, a popular one is “be healthy”. But think about what specifically you want to achieve and think about it what areas. Think about the “why”. There are so many components of being “healthy”. So much so that it’s too general. Make your goal as precise as possible and true to your desire.
Some examples of specific goals according to their areas of health are:
⁃ Mental: “I’d like to have a calmer piece of mind”
⁃ Physical: “I’d like to fit into those pair of jeans”
⁃ Spiritual: “I’d like to have a stronger relationship with the Creator”
We’ll work with these examples
M. Measurable.
How much time will you spend towards your mental health?
Once it’s a specific goal, it should be made so specific that you are able to measure it - to make sure you are on target. It should have something objective to it rather than only subjective. If it’s not measurable, then it will be harder to achieve. In this part of the SMART criteria, you can focus on the “how”. These are things you can do - actionable steps, and these steps can be an indicator of progress that can be tracked
⁃ Mental “I’d like to spend 10 minutes in the morning, dedicated to calming my mind”
⁃ Physical “I’d like to shed an inch or two around my waistline to fit in those jeans”
⁃ Spiritual “I’d like to read and understand one story or concept of the Bible by Saturday evening every week”
A. Attainable.
Is it achievable or is it reaching for the stars? If it’s reaching for the stars and back, scale it back a bit. (Besides, if it’s an easy-peasy one, and time bound, you can always make a more challenging one at your next time interval!)
Its not about reaching for the stars (yet), make it attainable
⁃ Mental “on my later start days(M-W-F), I’d like to spend 10 minutes in the morning before opening my email dedicated to calming my mind” (When you can see it in your day-to-day or weekly schedule, that’s attainable)
⁃ Physical “I’d like to fit more comfortably in my current clothing by eating more vegetables and exercising 4 times a week”
⁃ Spiritual “I’d like to read and understand one story or concept of the Bible by Saturday evening every 2 weeks”
Notice the physical goal example got split into two different goals, a vegetable intake goal and exercising goal. Those two goals will need to be further refined as well.
R. I like two R’s here -
Relevant and Realistic.
Is it a priority item? Is it relevant to your life circumstances right now? If something is relevant often has to do with budget priorities but sometimes can be related to your health status. For example, if you’re having hip surgery, it might not be relevant or appropriate to train for a 5k this year to avoid further damage before or after surgery.
How realistic and relevant is your goal?
Similarly, Is it realistic? Are you going to be able to use the resources you have to achieve the goal? Would there be any major roadblocks to start this goal right away? Or are they small stones in the road, easy to overcome? If you’re talking about going to the gym but behind on bills, a more realistic goal may be to workout at home. Like in the example below, it might not be realistic to manage groceries if you do not typically contribute to them in the household, so make a plan to get started.
⁃ Mental “I’d like to spend 10 minutes in the morning before opening my email, on my later start days, dedicated to calming my mind. But first I’d like to find 3 techniques to calm my mind” 2 goals
⁃ Physical “I’d like to fit more comfortably in my current clothing by eating more vegetables and exercising 4 times a week, but first I’ll subscribe to this online gym class and plan to get fresh groceries every Sunday” 4 goals!
⁃ Spiritual “I’d like to read and understand one story or concept of the Bible by Saturday evening every 2 weeks. But first I will find an easier to read Bible” 2 goals!
T. Time-bound.
If it’s specific and measurable enough, you should be able to put a date on the books to make sure your goal is not a moving target. Have a start and finish date. Saying 3 months is a start, but January 1st to March 29th is even more frame-able. Mark your calendar. Set reminders leading up to your goal!
⁃ Mental “I’d like to spend 10 minutes in the morning before opening my email, on my later start days, dedicated to calming my mind Starting January 3rd. From January 1 to 2nd, I’d like to find 3 techniques to calm my mind”
⁃ Physical “I’d like to fit more comfortably in my current clothing by eating more vegetables and exercising 4 times a week by March 15th 2020, but first I’ll subscribe to this online gym class by January 8th and plan to get fresh groceries every Sunday starting January 3rd”
⁃ Spiritual “I’d like to read and understand one story or concept of the Bible by 1st and 14th of every month. But first I will find a readable Bible and purchase on by the 7th of January.
Did you jot down a few S.M.A.R.T goals of your own? Care to share yours? Comment below - I’d love to hear what you came up with (I may even nudge you at some point to see where you are at) and I’m sure someone could benefit from building on one of yours!
If you did not come up with any goals as yet, you can do so at your own place - but make it a goal to make a few! For the example of health goals, you can even consider this an action item with your primary care doctor at your next physical! I’m happy to be an accountability partner for my patients.
Meet Dr. Cyam
Dr. Cymanthia Connell or “Dr. Cyam “ is an integrative and board certified family physician, author and community advocate currently practicing in the Greater Atlanta area. You can find her at Bridge Direct Primary Care, BridgeDPC.com