Not to be too boastful, but I made this year my bitch. I set some pretty big goals and I smashed almost all of them. I completed challenging hikes, I learned new skills, and I ran a local 10K race that had scared me for years. Looking back, I can’t believe how much I accomplished.
I wasn’t always a goal-oriented runner and hiker. I was quite the opposite, actually. I can’t begin to count the amount of times I’ve said “added to my bucket list” or “someday I’ll do that”, then never given it another thought. I have been completely baffled (and a little jealous) by seeing people achieve goals. I was clueless about how to do it.
If this sounds like you, keep reading. I’m going to lay out a no-BS, step-by-step guide to setting goals and achieving them.
Choosing Your Goal: Go Big or Go Home
A good place to start should be setting your goal. I’ll touch on the SMART method, then explain what I did.
SMART Goals
This method of goal setting was developed by George T Doran in 1981. SMART is an acronym meaning Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. This means your goal should be well defined. You will also need to decide how you will measure this goal. The goal should be something that you can actually accomplish. It should mean something to you. And you need to give yourself a time frame for completion. You can read more about this concept here.
Some examples of goals for hiking could be the following:
- Backpack overnight for the first time
- Complete a challenging trail
- Set an elevation gain personal record
- Hike 100 miles in a year
- Hike 52 trails a year
For me, I made sure the goal was something I was passionate about. I wouldn’t set a goal for something I hated. I know I wouldn’t follow through. If I really hated running, I wouldn’t challenge myself to complete a race. That just wouldn’t end well.
Setting a Deadline
Giving yourself a time-frame makes it real. Allow yourself enough time to complete the goal, but don’t give yourself too much time. It can be tricky to know what you can handle. Try to make this timeline realistic, but challenging.
Example:
- I will hike Angels Landing in October of this year.
Create a Plan: Small Goals Add Up
The most important thing when completing a goal is your own personal health and safety. You want to challenge yourself, without hurting yourself. For this reason, you need to have a slow and steady plan. Identify small steps you will need to take for your goal. Try to divide your goal into at least 4 smaller goals. If you need to build endurance, you can set smaller endurance goals. To build strength, you need small achievable goals for your workouts. Give yourself deadlines on when you will learn any new information or skills.
Start with small, easy steps, and slowly increase. Remember to be very specific on the action plan.
Example:
- I will hike 4 trails this Summer to prepare for Angels Landing
- A 4 mile trail
- A trail with lots of elevation gain
- A trail with rock scrambles
- A trail with steep drop offs
Staying Motivated
This is the hardest part, according to most people I talk to. The mental struggle is real for hitting goals. Here are some tricks I’ve learned to keep my head in the game.
Self-Talk
The biggest trick for me was how I talked about my goals. I said them in definite words. For example, I said to myself and anyone else “I am hiking Angels Landing” or “I am running the Bay Bridge 10K” I didn’t use words like “trying” or “maybe”. Don’t say you’re trying to complete your goal. You ARE completing your goal. There’s a huge difference. You can trick your brain into knowing that this is happening.
Identify with your Goal
How do you describe yourself? What words do you use? You are a daughter, or a husband, an accountant, or a millennial. What if you added the word “athlete” or “hiker” to that list? Does that change how you think about yourself? It did for me. I started thinking of myself as an athlete and my mindset completely changed. It became part of who I am. Instead of being a person trying to hike a challenging trail, I became the type of person on my way to doing it.
Create Accountability
Tell a friend, tell a neighbor, tell anyone who will listen that you are completing this goal. This will help keep you accountable. You can also use other methods of accountability, like giving yourself a reward for completing smaller steps. Buy yourself a present or treat yourself to a nice meal.
Ask for Help
Don’t be afraid to reach out to people for help. If you have a friend that has already completed this challenge, they will most likely give you some tips. You can also find message boards and blogs online. Most people will share their story and any helpful hints.
Visualize success
Post photos on your fridge, or write down your goal every day. When you think about the achievement, visualize yourself there. Think about how you will feel. Imagine being there, completing it.
Example:
- I will hike Angels Landing in October of this year. I am a hiker, and I can do this. I’ve also reached out to a friend who has completed this trail already.
Take Action
You’ve set your goal, and divided it into smaller steps, you’ve motivated yourself, now it’s time to take action.
Learn to say NO
Life is full of distractions. Of course, you have to attend your nieces ballet recital, or attend a work dinner. Learn what you can say “no” to. Is there someone else who can take over those obligations? Find a way to make your goal a priority. Don’t feel guilty for doing this. You’re doing it for YOU.
Allow Room for Failure
To me, success means being able to bouce back from setbacks. Setbacks are inevitable for achieving big goals. Don’t give up! You’re allowed to fail, but you’re not allowed to quit. Maybe you need to adjust your deadline, or lower your expectations. You can get back on track. Don’t let one setback ruin your success.
Trust Yourself
Remember all the smaller steps you completed in the beginning of this journey? They have prepared you to reach your goal. Trust the process and trust yourself. You can do this. You can complete your goal.
Enjoy the Moments of Success
Celebrate the small wins. Allow yourself to take a moment to congratulate yourself. Any win, big or small, is worth a celebration.
Example:
I will hike Angels Landing in October of this year. I trust myself that I can do it. I’ve readjusted my timeline so I know I can achieve this goal.
Conclusion: Big Goals are Achievable
Big goals can be intimidating, but they can also be motivating. Almost everything is achievable if you break it into smaller steps. Use motivational tips to keep your head in the game. And don’t forget to celebrate your wins. Are you ready to set your goals now?
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