Welcome to 2022 everyone! We here at N4L are excited to see what this new year holds for us, both as individuals and as a company. We’ve been thinking about our new year’s resolutions, the goals that we want to achieve in 2022. We’re sure that many of you have been doing the same, but what actually goes into setting a goal for yourself?

People often set vague goals like “get healthier” or “spend more time with family.” While these are certainly worthwhile things to work towards, they may be too ambiguous to actually achieve. How do you plan to get healthier? How much time will you be dedicating to family? In order to make your goals more achievable, make them S.M.A.R.T!

Specific

Part of setting a goal should be making it as clear and specific as possible. A good way to accomplish this is to answer the five "W" questions:

1. What do I want to achieve?
2. Why is it important to me?
3. Who is involved?
4. Where can it be done?
5. Which resources are involved?

For example, say that you’re setting the long-term goal of exercising more. A specific goal to get you started could be "I want to start being more physically active both at home and at the gym so that I can one day run a 5K race.” 

Measurable

If the specific component asks the “W” questions, then the measurable components ask “How” you’ll achieve the goal. If a goal is measurable, it will address questions like:

• How much?
• How many?
• How will I know when it is accomplished?

If the goal is to get more active to prepare for a 5K, part of goal setting will involve planning how often you’ll go out running. 

Achievable

This may seem obvious, but the goal you’re setting must be realistic and attainable to be successful. A goal can often involve overcoming challenges but ultimately must still remain possible. 

When thinking about the training for the 5K, ask yourself if you have the time to dedicate to weeks of training or access to a safe area to run. The point of asking these questions is not to discourage you, but rather help you find answers to problems that may arise during the process. 

Relevant

This step is related to making sure your goal is something that you actually matters to you and that you want to accomplish. Ensure that your goal is something worthwhile that you’re ready to put time and effort into. 

To use the 5K as an example: is training for that race really what you want to do, or are you choosing it because you’ve seen your friends run them before? If your real interest lies elsewhere, like cycling, for example, your true goal may be to become more active to participate in an organized bicycle ride. Again, the point of this step is not to ruin morale, but instead help find what truly motivates you.

Time-Bound

The best set goals have a target date for completion. Having a planned end date will help motivate you and manage your long-term goal with your everyday tasks. The targets can be for both the individual stages in your plan and the ultimate goal you’re aiming for. 

When preparing for the 5K for example, perhaps an initial time-bound task is to get new running shoes by the end of the week. A follow-up would be to go for a short run-walk the following day to break the shoes in. Thinking more long-term would involve signing up for your race date, finding one that allows you adequate time to prepare (as outlined when you planned your Measurable steps)

We can’t promise that N4L will help you achieve your resolution to spend more time with family. However, if you’ve set health goals for the new year, N4L can help! Our meals are all crafted with perfectly tailored nutrition, delivered right to your door, making healthy eating an achievable reality for anyone! 

Beyond that, our team of dietitians is here to help. Consider scheduling a clarity call with a member of our team to establish what N4L meals and products are right for your health goals. 

It’s a new year, which means 365 new opportunities to make meaningful changes. Whatever you’re looking to accomplish this year, keep it S.M.A.R.T and you’ll go far!