As we look to the New Year, you may be thinking about making some changes to your daily life. How we take care of ourselves, or “self-management,” is important to our wellbeing. Self-management includes managing stress, staying active, considering what we put into our bodies, rest and sleep, seeking support, managing our emotions, etc. In other words, self-management involves the daily health behaviors we can engage in to live life to the fullest. And, intentionally setting goals helps us break down big ideas about our wellbeing (e.g., become more active) into small steps that we can track and believe we can actually achieve (e.g., walk for 30 minutes, 3 times per week). Let’s consider the following:
- How are you feeling about your current wellbeing?
- What change(s) have you been considering but have found it difficult to make happen?
- What things are getting in the way of you making a desired change?
- Who could support you in making some changes to your daily health behaviors?
Benefits of Goals
There are a variety of benefits to creating and achieving effective goals. When we break down big ideas into smaller steps that are manageable, it increases our perceived control. We feel like we can make a difference in the outcome. Over time, while we are working toward our goal, we learn endurance. Setting and working toward a goal teaches us to stick with something or to be persistent. As we make progress, we experience satisfaction and improved self-confidence. We see how our hard work pays off, which motivates us to set new goals. This process contributes to our overall well-being and mental health. But, in order to experience the benefits of goal setting, it is important to consider how we create a goal so that we can set ourselves up for success.
Effective Goals Are….
| Helpful Goal | Unhelpful Goal | |
| Positive | Eat 2 servings of veggies/day | Don’t eat chips |
| Specific | Get 7-8 hours sleep/night | Sleep more |
| Based on Effort | Study 30 minutes/night | Get an A in math |
| Shared | Write down/share with friend | Keep it in my mind |
| Realistic & Challenging | Meet friend for coffee 1x /wk | Talk to friend every day |
| Time Stamped | Swim 3 times/wk by Feb 1 | Swim |
| Rewarded | 30 min free time for work done | $5/day for homework finished |
First, state your goal as a positive behavior instead of avoidance of a negative behavior. In other words, think about what you want to do, not what you want to stop doing or avoid. This small difference can help you focus on a positive, strengths-based approach to changing your behavior. Second, be specific. Consider exactly what that goal would look like. It’s easier to decide if you have met your goal if you know exactly what you are working toward. For example, if my goal is to “be more social;” it’s difficult to know if I’m successful and how to keep track of what I’m doing. On the other hand, if my goal is to “meet a friend for an hour per week,” it is clear whether I’ve done this each week.
Another helpful tip is to create a goal that is based on effort instead of an outcome. There are many situations in which we might work really hard, and for reasons outside of our control, a desired outcome does not happen. For example, your goal might be to get a certain amount of money for your bonus at work this year. You might work really hard, and then your bonus is lower than you had hoped because it is calculated on the success of a whole team. A goal is also more effective when it is shared. Telling a friend or family member what your goal is, or writing it down, gives you some accountability, which can motivate you toward meeting that goal. If others are aware of your goal, they can also encourage you.
The most helpful goals are those that are both realistic AND challenging. In other words, it’s important that you have the capacity and resources to achieve your goal, but then also, that you engage in hard work and prioritize the goal. If your goal is too difficult, you will likely get discouraged and give up before you make progress. Most goals are also more likely to be met if they have some time parameters that help us figure out how to integrate behaviors toward the goal into our days. For example, if your goal is to increase your physical activity, it is important to consider when you might have the time and resources to be active throughout the week.
Finally, it is important to think about how you might be rewarded for your effort toward your goal. Praise and support from others is rewarding, but you might also consider self-reward. For example, if you are working toward going to bed earlier (e.g., by 10pm, 5 out of 7 nights), you might reward yourself with time in a preferred activity on the weekend (e.g., watching a movie) if you met your goal that week. In some cases, waiting a whole week for a reward is too long, so the reward can lose its value. So, you might want to consider a more immediate reward (i.e., within the same day or 24-hour period). In the case of the bedtime example: if you went to bed “on time” (i.e., before 10pm), the next day you might reward yourself with 30 minutes of streaming television. It may be helpful to reward yourself more often as you get started, especially if it is a more challenging goal for you.
Readiness for Change
Now that we know what goes into creating effective goals, why is it sometimes so hard to achieve them? People may jump into a new year with high expectations for change, but then quickly get discouraged when change doesn’t happen. It is important to consider how ready you are for a change. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- How important is it to you to see this change happen?
- How would you describe the benefits that you see in making this change?
- What are potential consequences if you do not make this change?
- What skills or knowledge do you already have that will help you manage this change?
- What support or resources do you think you will need to navigate this change?
If you are finding it difficult to answer these questions or you don’t feel that you have the skills or support/resources to make your desired change, then you are most likely not ready. Instead, you might seek guidance from a health care professional in increasing your motivation or learning the skills/information that will help you achieve your goal. Think about revising your current goal to one that focuses on increasing your motivation or additional skill development/knowledge that will promote success. Once you have these skills, then you can return to your original goal.
Identify Potential Barriers
Even the best of intentions for behavior change can be challenged by obstacles, many of them outside of our control. When creating goals, it is helpful to identify potential barriers, so we can be aware of them and have a plan if they do come up. Think about:
- What challenges or obstacles might come up that would interfere with your success in making a behavior change?
- What concerns do you have about your ability to fully participate?
- How/where can you find support to overcome this obstacle?
If you do encounter an obstacle, it’s not the end. We all experience setbacks in life. It is okay to pause a goal, re-define it, or go back a step if needed. If you experience an obstacle that interferes with your goal, remember that you have worked hard to get where you are. Be proud of the success that you have had so far. Give yourself some grace. Then, make a plan to get back out there, and get back on track. Whatever you do, don’t give up!
Keep Track of Your Progress
When you create an effective goal (i.e., specific, time referenced), it is much easier to keep track of your progress. Consider keeping a journal of your daily or weekly progress toward your goal. There are also apps available to track health and wellness goals. Keeping track of your progress helps you know when to reward yourself, and you will have a good pulse on how you are doing. It can also be rewarding to share progress with others.
Moving Forward
While January is a popular time to set goals, any month can be the perfect starting point. You can create new goals in April, in November, whenever you are ready. To set yourself up for the best chance of success: 1) Create effective goals (i.e., positive, specific, effort based, shared, realistic/challenging, time stamped, rewarded), 2) engage your support network, 3) anticipate any potential barriers, and 4) keep track of your progress. You can do this!
Here are some additional resources to help you on your journey toward a healthy and satisfying 2025:
- For more information on sleep, nutrition, screen time, physical activity, please visit our previous blogs.
- Additional information about strategies to enhance motivation for change can be found at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/motivational-interviewing
- Apps to help monitor progress toward goals
- Ideas for rewards
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About the Author
Janelle Wagner Ph.D., serves on the Professional Development Team as an Associate Trainer and Consultant for PracticeWise. Learn more about Dr. Wagner on the PracticeWise team page.
