Need Some Motivation as You're Working Toward Your SMART Goals? Reward Yourself!

Last week we talked about how to create SMART goals, and I mentioned 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"--and you're considerably more likely to be successful, long-term, with this kind of goal.

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. Goals that are based on weeks or months rely on a component that's familiar to anyone who's ever dieted--that is, they rely on strict adherence.

But the reality of life is that we're not perfect, and life is messy. Developing goals that demand perfection through strict adherence are doomed to failure. It's not a matter of if you'll fall short of your goals--it's a matter of when!

Now, let's go back to our example of a bedtime routine goal, and see how a day-based time-limited goal would work for you. If you had chosen to set up your goal to go to bed by 10:30 PM for 14 days, and go to bed late Thursday night, you could learn from what happened on Thursday, shrug it off, and get back on track Friday night. There's no need for feeling disappointed, no need for harsh self-talk. Even if you went to bed late Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, you'd still have been successful for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Day-based Time-limited goals work because they focus on consistency, rather than perfection. They acknowledge the reality that a lot of what happens in your daily life is outside your circle of control or influence. They allow you to be an imperfect human being, make it easier to focus on what happened instead of what's wrong with you, and create space for you to learn from your experiences.

There’s another reason I encourage you to use a day-based Time-limited goal: You can easily 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.

• 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, 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 weight management students choose workout gear, water bottles, music or apps that support their weight management goals, or a new pair of earrings or shirt. For more significant rewards, they choose a day at a museum or the movies, a mani/pedi, or a massage. 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. As a general rule, think twice before rewarding yourself with a negative reward, like food, alcohol, staying up late, etc. If you're setting up a new behavior as a goal, chances are you need support following through, not encouragement to do the opposite! And worse still, negative rewards lead you away from your goals, rather than toward them.

If you're struggling with goal-setting or finding motivation as you're working toward your SMART goals on your goals, I encourage you to work with a therapist who can help you explore what's happening, and what you can do differently. You deserve to thrive!

Like what you're reading?

Click here for a free weekly email every Friday,

scroll down to leave a comment or a rating,

or click on the three dots at the top of the page to share with a friend!

(If you're not getting your email, check your Promotions, Updates, Junk, Spam, etc. folders!)

If you click on the links in this post and make a purchase, I earn a small finder's fee on qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate, at no cost to you.

This website is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute

for or to replace working with a doctor, therapist, or any other care provider.

I assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or other

inconsistencies, and disclaim any liability to any party for any events,

including but not limited to loss, damage, or disruption, whether loss,

 damage, or disruptions results from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

Your use of the information on this website is at your own risk.