We can make our long-term goals seem more achievable by breaking the ultimate goal down into smaller goals throughout the journey. This becomes our short, medium and long-term goals.
Previously, we have discussed SMART goals in relation to our fitness aspirations. You may refer to the blog “How to Determine Your Fitness Goals: A Strategic Guide”. This blog will give you a more in-depth run-down of creating goals using the SMART method.
To briefly recap, SMART is an acronym which stands for:
Specific,
Measurable,
Attainable,
Realistic/Relevant, and
Timely (Time-Bound)
The SMART method encourages us to be specific and set realistic timeframes when creating goals.
The SMART method can be applied to all our goals, no matter if they are short, medium or long-term. Utilising the SMART method when creating health, fitness or nutrition goals will help ensure they are achievable and relevant to you.
Let’s talk further about what short, medium and long-term goals actually are…
Short, Medium and Long-Term Goals:
Short, medium and long-term goals are created based on the timeframe in which they can realistically be achieved.
Short and medium-term goals have a shorter timeframe than our long-term goals. They help to break up our long-term goals into smaller steps, acting as stepping stones toward our bigger goals.
Sometimes our long-term goal/s may take us years to achieve. Creating small and medium-term goals that can be achieved in a shorter time frame than long-term goals helps to keep motivation high. This also makes our bigger long-term goal/s seem more achievable.
Short and medium-term goals are just as important in the long run, as these shorter time-frame goals can help set up the success of our long-term goals.
There is no exact timeframe for short, medium, and long-term goals. But the following is a guide:
Short-Term: 1 day to 1 month.
Medium-Term: 1 month to 6 months.
Long-Term: 6 months to several years.
Incorporating short, medium and long-term goals using the SMART goals method is a great way to clearly outline your goals for the future and set a realistic timeframe to achieve them in. This keeps motivation up and helps keep you on track.
Let’s talk about some examples:
Short-Term:
I will attend the gym 3 times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for a 1-hour session.
I will track my water for 2 weeks to ensure I drink 2.5 litres daily.
I will aim to lose 3kgs this month.
I will meal prep my food this week to ensure I eat 5 servings of veggies and 2 serves of fruit each day.
Medium-Term:
For the next 6 months, I will buy a Yoga membership and attend 2 sessions per week.
In 3 months, I will run the 5k fun run by training 4 days each week to prepare.
I will limit my alcohol intake to 2 standard drinks per week for the next 2 months.
Long-Term:
I will lose 20kgs in the next 12 months by tracking my calorie intake and attending the gym 3 times a week.
I will aim to compete in my first bodybuilding competition in 18 months by committing to good nutrition, recovery, and a personalised training program.
The above are some examples to give you an idea of short, medium and long-term goals. You could go a step further and really plan out your goal by using the SMART method, ensuring you have thought about whether your goal is specific enough to you, measurable, attainable, relevant to your values and aspirations, and has a realistic timeframe to complete it.
Working toward short and medium-term goals makes long-term goals seem more achievable. Your goals are important so take some time to really put together a plan of attack for them.
If you are serious about your goals and want some help with planning them out so you know they are achievable, let’s talk! You can contact me via the ‘contact’ page on my website.