SETTING GOALS - S.M.A.R.T

It’s important to set goals to work towards. Many people just go to the gym without a plan and any goals. When deciding what goals, you want to work towards, make sure they are S.M.A.R.T goals.
S.M.A.R.T stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.

• Specific- Your goals shouldn't be too general. Saying you want to be healthier isn't specific. You might want to be healthier, but breaking it into specifics (lower blood pressure, running a mile etc) will give you something to work to.
• Measurable -You should have goals that can be measured. For example, getting leaner isn't a goal. How will you track your goal and know you've achieved it?  Losing 14kg and 4 inches off your waist is something you can aim for and work towards.
• Attainable - Is your goal possible? There's no point setting a goal you don't have a chance to achieve. 
• Relevant - Set goals that are important to where you are in your life right now. Choose something that will motivate you.
• Time-bound- Include an endpoint. Knowing that you have a deadline motivates you to get started.  Set short, medium, and long-term goals that on each other.

Just as an example, If someone wanted to lose weight. In order to make it a SMART goal, I could set a weight loss target and inches off the waist.
In a year we will aim to lose 24kg and 6 inches off his waist. We can then set short term goals of losing 6kg and 1.5 inches at the 3 month point, and 16kg and 4 inches from his waist at 8 months.

With every exercise, I have a target short-term, medium, and long-term goal. The short-term goal is normally just the next workout. The medium goal is months, and the long-term could be a year, and will be fairly ambitious. These goals help keep me focused and pushing hard

Once I have set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound, I can now make a plan to work towards achieving them.