9 Tips To Choosing Healthy & Achievable Goals

As the new year approaches, you may be thinking about a few possible goals to improve your health, relationships, career or life. Yet you’re probably also aware that 94 percent of people give up their new year’s resolutions within two months. So how can you be one of the six percent of people who achieve their personal or professional goals? The following tips, from NYWC and goal-setting experts such as authors James Clear and BJ Fogg, can help you craft attainable goals that are rooted in self-love rather than self-loathing. That will boost your ability to follow through.

1. Start from a place of compassion, not criticism. 

Emily Charman, NYWC’s Group Program Coordinator, leads a lot of goal-setting workshops and always reminds participants of this quote from self-compassion expert Dr. Kristin Neff: “You may try to change in ways that allow you to be more healthy and happy, but this is done because you care about yourself, not because you are worthless or unacceptable as you are.”

Joining one of NYWC’s free Women’s Empowerment group programs can help support you as you consider and work on new goals, too.

2. Ask yourself WHY this goal is important to you

It’s highly motivating to consider how achieving your goal will make a difference in your life, and to think about how you want to feel. For example, it’s more motivating to think about feeling refreshed and healthy if you walk each morning, rather than focusing on how you should get fit. Thinking about why you want a goal can also help you consider whether the goal is something that you truly want, or whether it’s something that someone else or that society thinks is important.

3. Focus on fun, play, creativity or rest

“Too often, women make punishing goals that are rooted in self-criticism,” says Emily. “But goals can also be about recharging or having fun, such as seeing more movies, making more time for celebration, eating good meals more often, and more.”

4. Ask yourself how you’ll make space for your goal

If you want to cook more often, for instance, that may mean spending less time scrolling social media. Or saying no to events or things that don’t support your goal. Do you want the goal enough to give up something else? Go back to your “why” (tip #2) if you’re uncertain.

5. Start with one goal

Trying to tackle multiple goals at once can make it really difficult to succeed. Taking on one goal at a time gives you better odds of sustaining progress and reaching your goal.

6. Think really, really, really small

It’s great to have big dreams, just start with very small steps. Many goal-setting experts such as authors James Clear and BJ Fogg confirm that starting with small efforts lets you create a sense of achievement and capability that will sustain your new habit over the long haul. For example, you could walk for five minutes a day for a week or two, celebrate your success, and then walk six minutes a day for the next few weeks. And so on. 

“You’re more likely to persist if you can meet yourself where you’re at, as opposed to trying to change your whole life in one day,” agrees Emily.

7. Make SMART goals

Ensuring that your goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound increases your likelihood of success. (Work on it using this template from the California College of the Arts.)  For example, you could make a goal to regularly walk a kilometre a day within six months, because you want to feel more energetic. 

8. Stack your habits

For maximum success, James Clear suggests pairing the new habit that you’re trying to create with a consistent existing habit. For example, if you eat breakfast at 7 a.m. every morning, you could plan to walk after breakfast each day.  

9. Find a buddy and celebrate your wins!

Sharing your goal with someone whom you respect and asking them to help you stay accountable can increase your odds of achieving your goal. That someone could be a friend or staffer that you met at the North York Women’s Centre Drop-In Lounge.

Whether you have a buddy or not, it’s vital to celebrate even the smallest progress. If you walk one block three times in a week, for instance, give yourself kudos. Noticing and celebrating any and all efforts and wins helps you feel more capable, so that you’re more confident about taking similar or bigger steps in the weeks and months to come.

What goal are you thinking of? Email info@nywc.org and we can tell you about some of the supportive programs and events that may help bolster your efforts. 

NYWC is committed to providing empowering and accessible programs and support for women and gender-diverse people. Please spread the word or consider donating today!