From time to time, many people may want to see some kind of improvement or change in their lives, whether it be a little or big change. Setting goals can be a useful way to help you to create the changes you want and it can also increase  your motivation to achieve these changes.

Setting a goal can help you to identify and modify some behaviours that you want to change. Deciding on a goal can be overwhelming and you may find it helpful to ask someone for encouragement or guidance. Although setting a goal can sometimes be challenging, you may find that it gives you a great sense of value and purpose.

Whether you decide your goals are big or small, taking a step to achieve these is to decide what your goals are. Firstly, try and identify things that are connected to your strengths and focus on things that you want to achieve, not what you think you should achieve.  

To start off, set smaller goals, as they are more achievable. For example, instead of saying “I want to exercise more”, you could say “I will walk for 20 minutes 4 days a week”.

Now you have chosen your goals, you can make them SMART!

• Specific – make your goals precise and try to include ‘who, when, where, why, and what’.
• Measurable – goals should be easy to track and include ‘how many’ or ‘how much’. For example – “I will drink 1 litre of water a day”
• Achievable – make sure that your goal is achievable for you. You need to stay motivated and although setting a trickier goal can lead to a better outcome, you don’t want to be discouraged. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
• Realistic – make sure that your goals are sensible for you and your circumstances.
• Timely – set a deadline! Having a set date will keep you on track and can continue to motivate you through any distractions