It’s been a while since we posted!

Image Credit: Karmun Loh, Briti...And it will probably be a while until the next post, too.  😉

A post idea hit me this morning, so I thought I would get this down on some proverbial paper. Motivation… and how to keep it going.

The start to every new year or month (heck it even seems like beginning of every new week) I tell myself, “I am going to work out 5 times a week, eat clean for every meal, lose 10 pounds in 10 minutes, sleep 8 hours every night, drink 3 liters of water every day, be happy all the time, and live life as if I am a ray of sunshine brightening everything around me.” What a load of crap.

Thinking of how to stay motivated brings me back to a business lesson that has resurfaced in my life time and time again. I must set SMART goals for myself, and I have to write it down! What’s a SMART goal you ask? Good question… let me tell you.

S – Specific
M – Measureable
A – Attainable/Acheievable
R – Relevant
T – Timely

Let’s review my Sunday night mantra, shall we?

I’m going to work out 5x per week.

Not specific. To improve on this: When will I work out? How long? What will each of my workouts be? Sounds like a job for Google Calendar.

Eat clean for every meal.

Not attainable. To improve on this: I must meal plan and prep! ALL THE TIME! Seriously though, to make this a more relevant goal, I do need to know what my schedule will be for the week, what I will eat, when I will eat it, and I need to prepare it in advance, no matter how much I try to avoid the weekly grocery trip. No excuses!

Lose 10 pounds in 10 minutes.

While this goal is specific, measurable, relevant, and timely, it is definitely not attainable. Four out of five ain’t bad! The one time I actually did lose weight for a New Years resolution was when I told myself that my goal was to lose one pound per week for 10 weeks. And then I did it (with a workout and meal prep plan).

Sleep 8 hours every night.

This is a shot in the dark. Literally, I need a shot when it gets dark. Haha, just kidding. My struggle is insomnia and middle of the night anxiety. A combination of melatonin and 5-HTP works really well for me. I can fall asleep quickly, without feeling drowsy the next day.

Drink 3 liters of water every day.

This is actually a great goal. It’s so relevant to my overall plan, and will make each one of my other goals much more attainable. Set an alarm on your phone to go off every hour and plan to drink 10 ounces every time the alarm goes off.

Be right back, I have to pee…

Be happy all the time, and live life as if I am a ray of sunshine brightening everything around me.

This is not realistic. Live your life in the moment, and appreciate the harder times. Without the challenging times, the good things in life become less rewarding.

In summary, while it’s important to have an overall plan for how you are going to manage you SMART goals, remember to take it one step at a time. Is there water in front of you? Take a sip right now (or go get some). Did you pack something convenient but unhealthy for lunch? Think about it before you (hopefully) choose not to eat it. Did you skip your workout this morning (calling myself out)? Do an evening workout. Most importantly, write you goals down on paper and include a plan to make your goals a reality!

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