GOAL SETTING AND HABIT BUILDING

The most effective way to make positive changes in your life is to do it one goal at a time.  Most of us want to create massive overhauls on our lives and want it to happen fast.  Unfortunately, these quick overhauls aren't always easy to maintain and we lose the ability to sustain these changes.  It's easy to fall victim to the newest diet trend, lose a couple pounds, and then gain that weight back (sometimes more) after you realize you can't sustain that diet and fall back to old ways.  So how do we go about making healthy changes in our lives that will stick with us for the long haul?

GOAL SETTING!

By following a couple key things, change can happen in a non overwhelming way and can lead to a snowball effect of making one change after the other.

KNOW YOURSELF AND BE REALISTIC
When setting a new goal (especially something you've never attempted before), be honest with yourself and give yourself realistic expectations.  This doesn't mean you shouldn't reach for new heights...but allow for proper amount of time and/or progression.  For example:  If you want to run a six-minute mile in four weeks but you're currently running a nine-minute mile, you might be reaching a little too far.  You might want to give yourself more time.

SMALL CHANGES AT A TIME
The smaller the change, the harder it is to notice.  If you add one new good habit a week, or remove one bad habit each week, it will have a much lesser chance of being overwhelming.  Small changes are easier to sustain and each small change adds up to an eventual big change.

MAKE IT MEASURABLE
You'll never know you've reached the finish line unless you could see it.  Give your goal a number.  One of the most common goals people set is to lose weight.  It is very common to ask their goal and get the answer "to lose weight".  However, there is no finish line there.  Give it a number.  Start with small goals (one or two pounds) and they eventually add up.

PLAN IT OUT
Having a plan will help you reach your goals with a lot less stress.  One of my favorite quotes to think about when setting a goal is "If you don't have a plan for success, you're only planning to fail".  Take a few minutes to to tell yourself HOW you will get to your goal.  First think about how long it might take you to achieve your goal (one, two, or three months).  Then break it down into weeks (one small goal per week).  Finally, develop a daily plan.  Make sure it is something that you can implement without a drastic change in your life.  Most importantly, brainstorm any possible obstacles or barriers you might encounter when reaching for that goal and establish a plan for how to handle them.  This kind of preparation will keep you from being derailed when you are surprised by a new obstacle.

MOTIVATION BY PROCLAMATION
Tell people about your goal.  A lot of us gain a little motivation when we tell our friends or family about a goal we're pursuing.  Letting those around you know what you're doing will help give you some accountability.  In most cases, these friends can help remind you when you're losing track or even help push you along.  If you're lucky, you might inspire someone to join you or pursue their own goal, creating more motivation.  When we pair up with a friend or friends, we have higher chances of staying motivated and continue with our improved changes.

WRITE IT DOWN
Write it down where you can see it.  If you're a smart phone user, some phones allow you to write messages on your home screen.  A white board in your kitchen or bedroom will help you see your goal on a regular basis.

SEEK HELP
If you're still having trouble keeping your goals, seek the help of a friend who has achieved the goal or a professional who has helped others in the past.