Today was the last day of my SMART goal to run 1 mile every day for 30 days. One thing I noticed is how quickly time seems to pass. Each day I couldn’t believe how many days had passed, and now it’s DONE.

Setting a SMART goal (Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) absolutely helped me accomplish my modest goal. Simply saying, “I’m going to run a mile every day….” has not worked in the past.

This simple method can be applied to any goal. For example, if you want to eat more plant-based meals, you might set a SMART goal of eating a plant-based lunch every Wednesday for four consecutive weeks. Even if something comes up unexpectedly, like a catered lunch at work one Wednesday, setting a goal will help you reflect on your habits and lifestyle to find pitfalls or opportunities you may have missed.

You aim to eat a plant-based lunch every Wednesday for four consecutive weeks. The first two Wednesdays go smoothly. You pack lunch on one of the days and eat out at a vegan smoothie/salad shop the second week. In the third week, your employer unexpectedly caters lunch for the office, and none of the offerings are plant-based. You wish to enjoy the free food with your colleagues and are uncomfortable announcing to everyone that you’re opting out due to a SMART goal.

What are your options? You could politely decline the free lunch and stick with your plant-based lunch from home. You could gladly accept the free catered lunch and switch your plant-based lunch day that week - maybe by the third week, you’re enjoying eating plant-based so much that you’ve made it a more regular habit anyway! You could accept the catered lunch and make a note of the skipped week when you reflect on your goal at the end of the 4-week period.

All of these are acceptable. It’s your goal, and you can decide what to do with it. No two people are precisely the same or have the same goals or motivations.

Is it more important to achieve set goals or to learn from them?

*As always, this website and blog information is not medical advice. Please consult your medical professional if you are changing your health behaviors, including starting a new diet or exercise program.