Create Better Goals

I did a FB Live video recently on moving forward and it brought up a discussion on how to set meaningful goals. 

In the video, I talked about some of my clients making huge strides in the last year and how easy it is to take for granted how far we’ve come. One of my clients had two major spinal surgeries in the last 18 months and didn’t think it was any big deal when he recently hiked 9 miles in Michigan. Doing that distance pain-free is a big deal, a very big deal.

It’s almost like this new place is uncharted territory and we might jinx it if we look closely. But take time to see your progress,  then give yourself a pat on the back.

Then begin setting goals. New goals, goals that make sense now.

Goals need to be specific and measurable. Big bday coming up? Stepdaughter getting married on New Year’s Eve? Son getting engaged soon?

Perfect timing. 

Before writing down specifics, visualize how you want to feel. People often have a strong idea of how they want to feel, and these are called “feeling states.”  They’ll say things like, “I felt great when I was doing Pilates three times a week.” Or, “I did yoga five years ago and it felt amazing.” That feeling state ignites lots of energy and motivation and creates a map to move you forward.

Once you have the feeling state you want, start writing it down with as many details as possible and post them in several places. Look at your goals frequently, let them sink in, always remembering how you want to feel. Understand obstacles will arise and see them as opportunities to get stronger. 

You got this!