Studies have highlighted the fact that approx. 80% of people who set new resolutions, fail to achieve them. Whereas for half of those people it will take more or less 6 months to ditch the goals they have set at the beginning of the year, for others, all goals are forgotten by the end of January!

Setting goals is of high importance, whether it’s done at the beginning (new resolutions) or throughout the year. Indeed, it gives long-term vision, focus and motivation. It also helps organize your life and ultimately, it makes you proud of your achievement. However, as shown by the cleaving stats at the beginning of the article, the most challenging part of goals-setting lies in their achievement.

What are the tips and tricks to set thoughtful goals AND achieve them? How can you identify the right goal for yourself? What are the tools that will set you up for success?

Whether you have been with us for a while, or are just joining us, you should know that helping you reaching your goals is OUR objective. That’s the reason why most of our bundles of products come with an informative booklet on how to reach a specific target and highlights the importance of a varied and balanced diet. In this article, we listed the top 3 advice that will help you identify powerful goals, make the difference and ultimately be part of the 20% of people who set AND achieve their goals.

TIP 1: SET SMART GOALS

Let’s start by the beginning. A goal that you achieve is a goal that you would have set up properly. Goodbye unrealistic goals (I want to become the next president of America! …well, good luck!), say hi to SMART goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

Goals that are too vague or unrealistic are deemed a failure. Instead, start by making your goal as specific as possible. Making it specific, will then help you measure your progress as well as define a realistic deadline.

Concrete example: “I want to lose weight” is super vague. In order to transform that into a SMART goal, try to add a measurable aspect and a time dimension. You will then get the following: “I want to lose 4kg in the next 4 months, while having a varied and balanced diet.”

Of course, once this goal achieved, it can be followed by another one focused on weight maintenance for instance, or on the consistency of your training. But remember, it’s better to proceed step by step.

TIP 2: BE CONSISTENT: THIS IS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT

Another common trap that tend to make people even forget they set up a goal is the “I want it all, and RIGHT NOW” mentality. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. Wanting to change long-installed (bad) habits overnight and seeing results ASAP isn’t the best solution.

Let’s take the example of weight loss again (although it applies to all situations in life). Typically, crash diets that will force you to deprive yourself, avoid all your favorite food for weeks or push you to exercise too much are not sustainable. They are usually ditched after a few weeks and in general the lost kilos are back almost as fast (aka yoyo effect!).

Instead, adopt a marathon mentality! No need to rush, consistency and hard work will do the job. Prefer a varied and balanced diet that matches your needs and also includes your favorite food, associated to regular physical activity. You will then be able to sustain these efforts on the long term, and will pass the finish line proud and strong.

TIP 3: FOCUS ON YOURSELF AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

This last point is actually key! Make the goals yours! Gaining muscle mass, losing weight, changing a habit… This decision has to be made by only one person: YOU! It has to be the result of an introspection, in which you identify your strengths and weaknesses, as well as the points you want to improve. This is not a competition with x, y or z seen on social media. You are your only competition. It’s you vs you. Once this is clear, defeat any doubt you may have and believe in yourself.

What if despite all those tips you didn’t reach your goal? Well, failure is a learning tool. What were your biggest challenges? Which one discouraged you particularly? How can you do better the next time? There’s no reason to give up. Just focus on the positive and keep going.