Using S.M.A.R.T. Techniques to Stick to New Year’s Resolutions in 2016

Try saying this with a straight face: “I’m going to keep every one of my New Year’s Resolutions.”

Your giggles are warranted. When 1 in 3 resolution makers ditch their promise by the end of January, the idea of sticking to all your goals from start to finish seems a little laughable. When the going gets tough, the tough get neglectful. That’s why Floyd Brace Orthotics and Prosthetics challenges you to pick just one goal from the top of your list and see it through to the end with these S.M.A.R.T. techniques to stay the course:

Specific: Throwing out a flighty “I want to start running this year” will end as quickly as it was decided if you don’t assign a direction. Be clear with yourself.  “I want to run a local 5K in the spring at an 8:30 pace” gives you a target to aim for that goes beyond a hopeful thought.

Measurable: Buckling down to accomplish a long-standing goal feels awesome. Part of that rush comes from gauging your progress, leading to the Big Moment when you accomplish what you set out to do. Identify concrete ways to assess your goal so you know if and when you’ve reached it.

Attainable: Say you want to attend more of your child’s basketball games. After you’ve identified how many is “more”, figure out if it’s even possible. Because of distance, work scheduling, or accessibility, it may be just too far out of reach. Make as much of an effort as you can, but don’t set yourself up for failure with a goal that’s actually impossible to meet.

Realistic: Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. If you want to knit baby blankets for preemies in the NICU, could you knock out 30 in 30 days? Technically, probably, yes. However, how realistic is that goal when you factor in everything else on your plate? Don’t burn yourself out with a goal that pushes the boundaries of reason.

Time-Bound: When life stressors appear, personal goals are the first thing to go. If you’ve given yourself concrete deadlines, however, skipping out on what you set out to do becomes much, much harder. Whether you follow a daily timeline or strive towards a date a few months down the road, a time-bound goal helps keep you on track and moving forward.

Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Choosing and meeting a goal gives you just a taste of all you’re capable of accomplishing. Let us know if there’s a goal we can help you conquer in 2016.