How to Set Fitness Goals the SMART Way – Achievable

Picking up from my last blog, using the SMART framework, you should consider five focus areas when setting your goals to help make them more realizable.  SMART goals should be:

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Relevant

Timely

In today’s blog let’s focus on how your goal needs to be Relevant to you. 

It is essential that that you set goals you can realistically do the work to achieve, considering your lifestyle, resources, current fitness level and available time. 

The goals you set should be relevant to your life, and appropriate for your health and lifestyle.  For example, think about why you want to achieve your goal of holding a one-minute elbow plank on a consistent basis – will it improve your quality of life?  Perhaps you want to feel stronger and healthier so you can be more active with your children or grandchildren – this is a meaningful goal and, as a result you might be more committed to working toward it. 

On the other hand, if you decide today to commit to a cardio program of running outdoors three or four times per week, but have very little winter running experience, this might not be a relevant or realistic goal for you. You may possibly get there, but you may also be setting yourself up for disappointment, or even worse, injury, and in the process, setting yourself back.

Challenge yourself with your goals.  Be sure, however, that they are consistent with your world and thus have relevance and are realistic.