Need some SMART goal motivation? Reward yourself!

Last week we talked about how to create SMART goals, and why creating Time-limited goals that are based on days, rather than weeks or months, are more likely to be successful. An example of a day-based Time-limited goal might sound like “I’m going to start my bedtime routine between 10 PM and 10:15 PM, and be in bed by 10:30 PM, for 14 days.”

It may not seem like it, but this is significantly different from saying "I'm going to start my bedtime routine between 10 PM and 10:15 PM, and be in bed by 10:30 PM for 2 weeks." Why? Consider what happens if you start your goal on Sunday, and then get to bed late Thursday night. You haven't even made it through one week yet, let alone two! It feels discouraging to fall short...and that makes it easy to give up. Most people are willing to keep trying a few more times, but this is one of the reasons people give up on their goals long before they experience much success.

However, if you'd set up your goal to go to bed by 10:30 PM for 14 days, you can shrug off Thursday, learn from what happened, and get back on track Friday night. Day-based Time-limited goals work because they focus on consistency, rather than perfection. They also acknowledge the reality that a lot of what happens in your daily life is outside your circle of control or influence.

There’s another reason I encourage you to use a day-based Time-limited goal: You can pair them up with a reward plan. Sometimes people rebel against the idea of creating rewards for small successes. But a reward plan offers you a multitude of benefits. Rewards shift the focus from the destination to the journey. They provide you with external motivation on those days when your internal motivation is low. And a reward plan gives you credit for what you’re doing right, regardless of how your efforts influence the outcome.

I once worked with a client who bought herself a charm bracelet, and every time she reached one of her day-based Time-limited goals, she bought a new charm for her bracelet. After a year, she had a gorgeous bracelet laden with charms, each one specially chosen to represent a goal she'd reached. She thoroughly enjoyed wearing it, because it reminded her of her successes, which renewed her motivation to follow through on her current goals. And it sparked conversations with family members, co-workers, and even strangers. Each conversation gave her more motivation to continue working toward her goals.

You don't need to buy a charm bracelet, of course. My reward is almost always fresh-cut flowers, while my online students choose workout gear, water bottles, music or apps that support their weight management goals, or a new pair of earrings or shirt. Be creative and choose what inspires you!

One last thing: I encourage you to choose a positive reward -- that is, a reward that supports your goal of creating a healthy lifestyle. That can be a little tricky to define, but as a general rule, think twice before rewarding yourself with food, alcohol, staying up late, etc. Avoid negative rewards that lead you away from your goals, rather than toward them.

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