Setting Goals for 2011!

It’s 2011, which means many of you have set New Year’s resolutions! This year, instead of setting a goal to lose 50 pounds in the next month and wear your high school jeans, try setting reasonable goals that may actually last you through the entire year. Also, set goals for each aspect of your life (personal goals, family goals, business goals, etc.) Lululemon has a great tool that can be found at http://goals.lululemon.com/, and here are some other techniques to keep in mind:

• · Set long-term goals for what you are ultimately trying to achieve, and set short-term goals that will help you get there. For example, if you want to lose a certain amount of weight, this would be your ultimate, long-term goal. Set the date that you want to achieve this goal by, and make sure it is reasonable! Next, break this down so that you have short-term weight goals (maybe just 5 lbs at a time).
• · Once you have your goals set, you need to plan how you are actually going to achieve them. It is not realistic to say you are going to lose 50 lbs and not change anything about your lifestyle to get there. How are you going to change your diet? Are you going to work out? How often are you going to work out and for how long?
• · After you have a plan, you can break your goals down even further to things like daily to-do lists. Having something to do each day is great because you are constantly reminded of your goal. This can be as small as putting your change in a jar if you are trying to save money, or looking a websites to research a trip you would like to go on.
• · Write your goals down in order to make them seem more real.
• · Stay positive! Everyone makes mistakes along the way, but by checking in throughout short-term goals, you will be on track for your final goal!
• · Be specific about your goals—write down the day you want to achieve it by, the exact thing you are trying to achieve, and even what you are going to do once you achieve your goal.