I’m always amazed at the number of cars in the parking lot of the gym on January second. So, why is it that we wait all year to set resolutions? Why do we feel the need to start each year by setting a goal for ourselves with the knowledge we are most likely not actually achieve it, joking about it, eventually giving up and restarting the next year?
In middle school health class I remember learning about what we called S.M.A.R.T. Goals, set with the intention of being:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
I think it is safe to say that almost everyone, whether or not you learned this way of thinking or not, throws these things out the window when setting actual goals and especially when asked about their New Year’s Resolutions.
Here’s an example of what I mean, common resolution is to be healthier. OK, now what does that really mean? Healthier how? What are you using to measure your growth? What level of health are you trying to reach? How unhealthy are you now? When do you want to reach this level of health?
See how setting a non-S.M.A.R.T. Goal leaves you with lots of questions and eventually areas to cheat and let things slide.
Turning this into an S.M.A.R.T Goal might look something like this:
My goal for this week is to drink 90 oz of water a day and at least two pieces of fruit.
It's specific, it is actually something you can measure, it is attainable, it is realistic and I've placed it within a time frame.
One of the biggest problems I see when people set New Years Resolutions is that they think too big. We often think of one thing that we want to fix all year. We don’t think about how that goal needs to and should be lived out every day. Setting goals for the little things helps piece everything together in order to reach those overarching big goals like “being healthier."
As a dancer it is super important to set goals, to want to strive for change and positive growth in all aspects of life in order to be the best possible dancer you can. But each class I take I set a new goal. I write it down in my journal at the top. It might be as simple as “I want to work on straightening my knees in my pirouettes (Turning on one foot).” This allows me to focus every step of the way on how I can achieve this, starting with straightening my legs at the barre. This concept is nothing hard to grasp and not solely exclusive to dancers. It's about building upon something. Breaking down your dreams into chunks that are easy to swallow.
It's not just dance. It's not just making S.M.A.R.T. goals. It's about taking life one step at a time. It's about constant correction and revision. It's about each new day being a new chance for new change.
