This next part of goal setting is all about being prepared and being certain that the goal is worth it. There is nothing that will derail a goal faster than going into a situation that you didn’t plan for.
You should look at which sacrifices you’ll have to make to achieve your goals. Not every goal is worth the sacrifices you’ll have to make to achieve. If you want a big promotion at work but you feel crappy about not spending time with your family because you have to work 100 hours a week, it might not be the right goal during this time. A common fitness goal is getting 6-pack abs, but if you’re not naturally lean you’ll have to make serious sacrifices to achieve that.
Identifying potential obstacles can help you stick to your plan more effectively. It’s hard to stick to a diet when you have to go out for business lunches, but if that is an obstacle you run into you can come up with a “if-then” statement. For example “If I go out to eat, then I will look at the menu online beforehand to find a choice that aligns with my goals.” Another common one is “I don’t feel like going to the gym after a long work day.” Again, using the “if-then” statements, you could frame it like: “If I don’t feel like going to the gym, then I will walk my dog instead.”
You can make multiple “if-then” statements for any situation so you have different options for when things happen. The purpose of this is to give yourself the opportunity to see these things coming, make a strategy to work around the obstacles, or know you might go off plan, hopefully sparing you of any guilt.
Identify times you won’t be sticking to your plan during the period of time you meant to devote to your goal, like a vacation. Assess how these periods of time will change the course of your goal and progress, then adjust your goal accordingly. This can help to eliminate any guilt you might feel from not following your goals, try understanding it’s a small drop in the bucket of your life and you can get back to your goal afterwards.
When you set your goals try to allow yourself to be imperfect. We are all human, we make mistakes, and life throws things our way we can’t always control or account for. Setting a goal that requires you to be perfect all the time can be stressful and will almost certainly leave the goal impossible. This goes double for body weight related goals. So many things can change your scale weight, so be careful when setting these goals to give yourself a range to target instead of an absolute set number.
Taking these things into account I’m highly confident you’ll be able to reach your goals. Set yourself up for the best chance at success right from the start. Good luck!