Do you get frustrated with yourself because you set out with a goal, start getting traction, and then get derailed a few days or weeks later? Yeah, me too.

But why?

Maybe we are going about it all wrong? First of all, it can be overwhelming (if not impossible) to figure out how to change every negative behavior all at once to achieve a desired outcomes. We might want to lose weight, master a sport or hobby, become fluent in a foreign language, or improve our financial fitness. These goals are daunting when you start to consider the steps involved to achieve them.

But what if we changed our mindset regarding goals? For now, let’s focus on health and fitness, but remember that this could be applied to almost every aspect of life.

Make changing your habits and routine the goal.

If you have ever fallen short of your goal, it might be because you hope the goal will motivate your behavior. For example, if my goal is to lose 20 pounds, I’m hoping the goal will motivate me to work out and eat right. And for a while, it might work. But instead of setting a goal of “losing 20 pounds”, what if you set out to establish the habit of working out for 30 minutes, 5 days a week?  

Of course, it’s helpful to have a target to aim for, so I’m not saying you should completely disregard outcome-based goals. But let’s face it, if you are frustrated because you can’t seem to accomplish your goals or keep the results no matter how hard you try, something about your process needs to change.

It’s impossible to lose 20 pounds in one day. However, it is possible to work out today. So set a goal to establish an activity as a habit that you can control right now. Even if it’s only for 5 minutes.

Which brings me to my next tip.

Start as small as necessary to guarantee consistency and hold yourself accountable to it.

What if you weren’t allowed to exercise for more than 5 minutes a day. That almost sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? But is that something you could consistently do 5 days a week for 30 days? What if you doubled your time to ten minutes for the second month? Certainly, by the third or fourth month, working out would start to feel like an established part of your weekly routine. Are you going to lose 20 pounds working out 5 minutes a day over the course of a month? Probably not. But you will be more likely to lose 20 pounds and keep it off over time if you establish a habit of working out 5 days a week for the years to come.  

You see, we get so focused on seeing “measurable” results that we neglect forming the habits that will help us actually change who we are instead of just changing what we do.

I get it. We all want to know that the sweat in the gym, the early morning workouts, and the money spent on equipment and gym memberships is all worth it. And measurable results give us that feedback, dare I say, the reward for our hard work and sacrifice. But what would be better:  lose 20 pounds in the next 3 months and then gain 30 of it back when things go back to “normal”, or establish a new habit of exercise that becomes an automatic part of your daily routine without having to wonder, “Am I going to work out today?”

Last tip.

Focus on one change at a time.

It’s hard to convince yourself that by establishing a small habit now, it will have big results down the road. Our rational minds tell us that if we aren’t doing everything well at the same time, then we won’t achieve our goals. And in a sense, we are right. Achieving optimal health and wellness requires many important aspects of our lives to be working in synchronicity. Meal plans need to be on point with the right macros and micros, getting enough exercise to stress the muscles to grow without overtraining, getting sufficient sleep and planning enough recovery time, and avoiding injuries and setbacks from life circumstances are all very important factors that can’t be ignored. But each of those health and wellness realms can be broken down into daily habits that can be established over time, so start with one, small change at a time and then add a new habit once your current habit is a natural part of who you are.

Where to start

There are many areas in our lives that could probably use some improvements. And let’s be real, we didn’t get to this place in our lives overnight, so we can’t expect to establish a new habit and see results overnight. Think about the thing that would make the biggest positive difference in your life. Maybe it’s weight loss, maybe it’s to wake up feeling rested and ready for the day, maybe it’s to grow or advance in your career. Then think of a habit that would help you become the type of person who looks, feels, or acts like this. And then get started creating this habit using some of the suggestions listed above. I’m looking forward to hearing about how your new habits change your life.

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