Fabulous Goal Setting Formula

Great goal setting is the most important thing you can do to get on and stay on your path to success!

To know where you are going, to create a guiding light to steer by, write out and use your goals according to the following formula.  The first few stages are a bit matter of fact.  You might even find them a challenge.  That's great!  You are going to have something of great value come from this task and by the time you get to the end it will be exciting and fun.  Here are the steps to the best goal creation formula there is:

1. Set specific goals. 

For your weight:  How much weight do you intend to lose.  By when?  What will your final body fat percentage be?  How much will you weigh?

For your body:  What will your measurements be?  What size clothes will you wear?  What condition will you be in? What skills will you have? What will you be able to do?

For your eating habits:  What changes will you put in place?  How many calories a day will you eat?  What range of macro nutrients are you aiming for?

For your exercise habits:  What plan will you put in place and use?

For your emotional state:  How do you want to feel?

For your life:  what else do you want to achieve which will come with your new body?

2.  Set measurable goals: Make sure the goals you wrote above can be objectively weighed or measured.

3.  Set scary-big goals.  Make sure your goal is what you really want, not just a low level expectation of what you think you can achieve.  Your goal should be exciting and even a bit scary.  Your goal should thrill you!  Think big!

4.  Set realistic deadlines.  Two pounds a week is a high goal!  Trying for more than that is looking for trouble and disappointment.  Setting a very slow pace might cause you discouragement.  Find the happy medium between too little and too much.

5.  Set long and short term goals.  Your goal list should include long term and short term goals.  Suggested goals are

1. Your final long term goal
2. Your one year goal (if you have a lot to lose)
3. Your three month goals (creates urgency, something to strive for)
4. Weekly goals (body fat % / weight / measurements)
5. Daily goals (amount of exercise, recording food eaten, maintaining your calorie level, developing new habits, etc.)

6.  Connect emotion to the goal.  What is the emotional purpose behind the goal?  Ask "What's important about my reaching my goal?"  And "Why is that important?"

After you have all the specifics about your goals from steps 1-5, rewrite them with as much emotional impact as possible.  What feelings will you experience when you have accomplished these things?

7.  Make sure your goals are not conflicting.

8.  Write out all your goals in the form of affirmations.  These need to be written in the first person, in present tense and positive language.  Example:  I am so very happy and proud I weigh 130 pounds and look fantastic in my silky red dress.

9.  Read your affirmations (goal list) out loud at least twice a day and always keep your goals on your mind.  Write out your goals, by hand, once a day.  Tap on the thymus point or your favorite point while you read them.  Repeat, repeat, repeat!!

10.  Read your goals with faith.  Believe you will achieve them.  If you don't yet believe them, tap on "even though I'm not sure I can achieve these goals I deeply and completely love and accept myself.  In addition, "act as if" they are already achieved.  Keep this up and you will believe you can achieve them.

11.  Visualize!  As you read your goals, let your imagination fill them out into multi-sensory images.  Imagine them as already achieved:  see and hear and feel and taste and smell all the wonderful success images!  Let yourself get excited!  Let yourself really experience the joy of your success, satisfaction and pride.

This material is adapted from Burn the Fat Feed The Muscle by Tom Venuto.