I'm a big fan of setting goals. I think when you're as into health and fitness as I am, you have to be. That being said, what I want to share with you isn't specific to health and fitness but to any goals you have. 

The problem I found with most systems for tracking and setting goals were that they didn't allow me any room for error. Not only that, but the way they wanted me to track my goals and build new habits had me reaching far outside of my attention zone. After literally years of setting goals - FAILING, setting new goals - FAILING AGAIN I had to create a system that worked for me.

YES - I have goals I'd like to achieve in 3 months, 6 months and a year from now. NO - I probably won't be thinking about them 3 months, 6 months and a year from now. By that time I'll have either reached them miraculously or I'll be upset with myself for setting goals I didn't reach. 

I also discovered there is a major flaw in our understanding of habit building. Setting goals and tracking them is essentially just tracking habits. Have you ever heard the saying, "it takes 21 days to form a habit?" Guess what, scientists at the University College London did a study to test that theory and out and found out that it actually takes about 66 days to form a habit. Want to know what Jimmie discovered?

None of that means crap. Sorry scientists but building longterm habits are based on so many complex factors that no amount of days could ever be generally labeled like we have. For instance some people can form a habit instantly if required too. Some can form a habit in 21 days and for some it might even take a year. We are unique people so to place a number on the time it takes to form a habit is just silly in my opinion. Not only is it silly but it distracts from the real issue at hand, forming the habit. Should I just assume that after 21 or 66 days I don't need to keep working? I doubt it. 

So, how do we set goals for ourselves and build new habits which allows for error while at the same time not overwhelming us with stress? I'm not going to pretend I have that answer figured out for every person but I figured it out for myself which just might work for you too.  

Here it is, I set weekly goals - that's it. I've determined that in MY CURRENT life, and with MY CURRENT attention span that just about all I can handle. A single week is just enough time for me to feel challenged enough to fight to complete my goal it but not so long that I feel overwhelmed and want to quit. Note: I capitalized MY CURRENT, these things might change and if or when they do I will change too. 

This is not to say I don't have 3 month, 6 month and one year goals but those are constantly changing and being rewritten depending on how my weekly goals are doing. If my 3 month goal is to lose 20 pounds then I'll initially set my weekly goal to be to lose about 1.5 pounds. 

So here's what a typical week might look like for me and more importantly how I track it. I just created a simple no-nonsense weekly calendar that I can fill in and keep near me. This is how I started. 

Then, after I mastered setting a single goal I decided to start working on more goals at once. Again these are generally small simple goals just to make sure I'm moving forward in my life. With that I created this calendar. Simple check boxes I can cross off or put some information in everyday. 

Here's the full month sheet that I use.*** 

So why does this method work so well for me? 

#1. First and foremost it allows for 'life.' Work happens. Family happens. Health happens. Personal issues arise. Life is constantly testing us and throwing curve balls our way. I hear from people who are trying to lose weight all the time that they did really well the first week, and then the second and third week just went horrible. Well, now every week is your "first week." 

This is not to be confused with starting over but instead continuing on with more knowledge. Focusing always on PROGRESSION NOT PERFECTION. For example if I set a goal of trying to get to bed 2 hours earlier each night and I find on my calendar I wasn't able to even do it once, well I've learned something. The next week I can simply set a new goal for getting to bed 1 hour earlier instead of attempting to get to that 2 hours for the next few weeks.  

Also, if I totally screw up and have a bad week, who cares. I can always jump right back on track the next week or even the next day and I won't have a feeling of messing up two, three or even a months worth of progress. 

#2. Another TIP to consider is don't start your week on a Monday. I've found people generally have more energy towards achieving their goals for the first 3 days then trial off after that. Since many of my goals are health and fitness related I try to start my week on a Thursday or Friday. This way I'll take that initial energy for wanting to complete my goals through the time in the week where I'm more apt to be tempted by unhealthy influences. See how that works?

Brainstorming?

If you need some help or examples of mini goals I've set for myself here are some off of my personal list.

Well I hope this helps you as it does me. Currently I've got a dry erase calendar on my wall next to my desk where I can write in my daily activities and goals. I feel a sense of accomplishment each time I get to write in that I've completed a workout or kept to my meal plan that day. 

I hope this helps you achieve your goals and stick to healthier habits you set for your own life. Most importantly if this doesn't specifically help you modify it for your own self. Take the ideas outlined here and make them fit your life and you circumstances. Good luck!

***If you like the calendars I've created and want your own copy simple let me know. Email me at Jimmie.Brenton@gmail.com, write me a quick note and I'll send them over your way.