for Long-Term Success

DITCH THE RESOLUTIONS!

Focus on Creating Micro Goals and Healthy Habits for Long-Term Success

By Gini Grimsley

The holiday season is a great time to look back at what we have achieved during the past year and to set goals we want to accomplish in the new year. When we think of resolutions, we typically think of big, lofty goals that bring sweeping lifestyle changes. But let’s be real; these often fail.

We all know the cycle. We jump into the first week of January inspired and on fire to make changes and implement new habits. But by the time February rolls around, we’ve completely given up. Why? The main issue isn’t the resolution; it’s the plan to get there— or the lack thereof. Without setting micro goals along the way, we struggle to stay motivated when we encounter a roadblock or hurdle.

It usually takes about twenty-one days to create a new habit. In order to make a permanent change, stair-step your way into larger behavioral changes. Adjusting a habit can be viewed as a micro goal (or micro resolution), which can be re-evaluated as the year goes on so that you can continue to improve and get closer to reaching your ultimate goal. Creating healthy habits is a much more effective way to have a positive, long-lasting impact on your health.

To get started, think about your focus for the year. If your goals are related to health and fitness, think about the things you need more or less in order to be healthy in the new year. Maybe it’s to sleep more, eat better, exercise more regularly, or reduce stress. Whatever

the goal, don’t forget it will positively impact other areas of your life. For instance, eating better provides you with more energy, aids in weight management, and helps with mental focus throughout the day. Working out produces endorphins and can help increase your strength and endurance, making you more productive at work and at home while also helping with weight and stress management.

Once you’ve listed out areas of growth and improvement, determine which one is the easiest to accomplish, and start there. Trying to change too many things at once can be overwhelming and often unrealistic. Choosing one goal will keep you motivated so you stay on track.

Once you’ve set your main goal, start listing out the smaller steps you can take to help you get there. Think of each step as its own goal. These smaller, easier goals should be based on changing behaviors rather than solely focusing on the desired results. I prefer setting a new, smaller goal every two weeks. This gives me something to work towards and keeps me motivated while also helping me slowly build healthy habits over time.

Often, making drastic, sweeping changes is not sustainable for the long term, and once you fall back into old habits, the changes you’ve made don’t stick. These micro goals are your key to success!

About the Author

Gini is the Director of Fitness Product for VASA Fitness where she is known for creating cutting-edge fitness programming for VASA’s clubs across eight states. 1. Pick the goal on which you’d like to focus (example: starting a workout routine). 2. Break it down into the behaviors that support it (example: walking, lifting weights, practicing yoga, going to the gym). 3. Decide how much and how often you will repeat this behavior. This could be: • Walking ten minutes every day. • Going to the gym for thirty minutes three times per week. • Practicing yoga twenty minutes per day. 4. Pick the easiest behavior to start with, and if none are easy, dial them back a little more and set even smaller goals, such as: • Setting out clothes for the gym every night. • Placing shoes by your desk to take a walk at lunch. • Blocking out time on your schedule for yoga. 5. The behavior you have chosen should be something you can do five times per week for at least two weeks. 6. Start tomorrow! 7. Repeat with another small behavior change once the first behavior is mastered.

The key to making change in the new year is not to make sweeping changes but to choose smaller behavior-based changes that add up over time. Following this process helps set you up for success and a lifetime of health and happiness. Working to get a little better month by month will add up over the course of the year. Whenever you hit a bump in the road, remember why you started and how far you’ve come!SUMMER VIBES

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