Tackle Your New Year's Goals With the Same Format Our Therapists Use

Now that the holiday season is coming to an end, it’s about time for everyone to start thinking about the New Year, namely, how you may want to better yourself and your life. A great way to hold yourself accountable for these thoughts is to turn them into written goals. This may seem like a daunting task for some, but it really doesn’t have to be. As therapists, we write goals for our patients to achieve while in therapy, using the S.M.A.R.T. format. You can use this format as well:

(S)pecific
Think about exactly what you want to achieve this year, both big and small. Maybe you want to climb Mount Everest, or maybe you just want to be able to climb the stairs to your attic. Just be sure to be concise about how you want to achieve your goal. Instead of simply saying “I want to be able to climb stairs better,” you could say, “I want to be able to climb the 12 stairs to the attic without having to hold on to the railing.” Goals could be related to fitness, health, your job, your personal life, or maybe one goal for each. Don’t be afraid to set yourself multiple goals for a more holistic approach to the New Year.

(M)easurable
Goals should be measurable so that you can track progress. How will you know when you reach or are close to reaching your goal? Make sure that your goals answer the questions “how much?” or “how many?” How many times do you want to be able to climb the stairs to your attic (or Mount Everest)? How much weight do you want to lose? How many blocks do you want to walk? Tracking your progress through measurable goals helps you stay motivated and appreciate exactly how close you are to achieving your goal.

(A)chievable
While it is always important to set your sights high and challenge yourself, steer clear of impossible goals. A lot of people will fall into this trap this year. Don’t be one of them. Consider your accomplishments from this year as a point of reference. If this past year was spent trying to master a layup, do not expect to go pro by the end of 2020. Set goals that you can envision yourself accomplishing.

(R)elevant
Your goals should be relevant to your own wants and needs in your day to day life, so your goals will definitely not be the same as, say, Lebron James’. Think about the tasks around your home that are difficult or you hope to improve upon. For example, a stair climbing goal would not be as relevant for someone who lives in a first-floor apartment as it would be for someone who lives in a 3-story house. The same can be said for work-related goals as well.

(T)imely
Set yourself a time frame for when you want to complete each goal. Please keep in mind, not all goals have to be long term. In fact, short-term goals can propel you toward your long-term goals, by providing a gradual path to goal achievement. For example, for someone whose long-term goal is to be able to run a 5k in under 25 minutes, a short-term goal might be, “In six weeks, I want to be able to run 1 mile in under 10 minutes.” You may have one short-term goal for each long-term goal, or you may have five, it’s your call.

As long as you use the S.M.A.R.T. format, goal writing should be a breeze. Remember, they should be specific enough to describe exactly what you wish to accomplish, measurable to be able to keep track of them, achievable so that you aren’t wasting your time, relevant to your daily life, and provide a time frame for when they should be completed. Good luck and have a Happy New Year!

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        Amy Demoss PT, DPT