“I am not going to eat any sugar this week.”
“I am going to go to the gym every day this week.”
How often have you heard these types of statements from yourself or someone you know? We call these “All or nothing” statements. They are well-intentioned but typically do not allow room for the unexpected. Often, goals like these last for a short period of time and leave the individual feeling exhausted or defeated depending on how close they were to reaching their goal.
Within Lifestyle Education, the focus shifts from “All or Nothing” to thinking about goals as items that we can confidently achieve. The rationale behind achievable goals says, “Consistency is better than quantity. If I can consistently complete an action, this forms a habit and that habit changes my life.” Why is this meaningful? When we set our goals according to what is realistic and are able to meet them, then they can be adjusted over time according to our progress. This type of goal setting is measurable, achievable, time-specific, and realistic.
Action Steps:
Consider areas in your health and wellness. Where would you like to have different habits? Where do you feel like you most often fail to do so? Reflect and question and if you have been implementing an All or Nothing mindset when it comes to creating goals for your lifestyle. Consider options for implementing Achievable Goals and what that may look like to build your actions and habit goals around your current life, giving yourself the opportunity to be successful.