Let’s talk setting goals. We usually associate New Year’s with setting new intentions and resolutions, but fall is just as great of a time to get your future desires and plans in order. Goals don’t have to be big, and they don’t have to be intimidating to be worthwhile; they just need to be something you want to get accomplished in a timely manner, like starting a garden or finding a new makeup routine.  

Below, a few tips for setting realistic, rewarding goals and how to see them through to the finish line.  

Write it down 

What is it that you actually want? Do you want to run a marathon in 2024, or organize your medicine cabinet? Whatever it is you want achieve, get specific. The vaguer the goal is, the more you’ll choose to check out instead of conquering what needs to be done, step by step. Listen to how much different “Remove everything that isn’t needed or used from cabinet and add shelving” is than “Clean out my cabinet.” By being specific, your brain sees your goal as more achievable.  

Set up timelines and break it into chunks  

Giving yourself a deadline, or deadlines, is always helpful. And remember to maintain expectations! Running a marathon may be within your means, but running one in two weeks is probably not. On top of that, break your timeline into realistic outcomes. You want new running shoes by October 5th; you want to run one mile by November 14th, five miles by February 1st, and so on and so forth. Doing so will provide practical expectations to keep you on track.

Hold yourself accountable 

You’ve decided on your goals, and created a specific, realistic timeline. You’re halfway there! The rest is up to you finding your inner accountability and practicing consistency. We suggest sharing your goals with your family and friends as a way to keep the drive to keep going. There’s something about saying a goal out loud to people that makes it all the more real and even more motivating.  

Feeling stuck?  

Remember why you want to achieve your goals in the first place. There’s something deep within you that wants this for yourself -- you didn’t start this for petty reasons. Get in touch with the genuine feeling of wanting to conquer your goal each time you hear your inner voice saying you can’t do it anymore. And remember to practice gratitude for all the steps you’ve accomplished. What reasons do you have to celebrate? 

Celebrate the wins  

You ran how far?! In what time?! That’s amazing! Reward your progress with a new stretching band or dinner at a favorite restaurant. This is going to keep your spirits high and remind you to see it through, all the way to the end. And remember to celebrate those wins no matter how small you feel the progress is! You’re going to get there. Keep going, all the way to the finish line.