Goal Setting & Why Some Goals Never Stick

In this episode of Shift Happens, we unpack goal setting, identity, and habit change, and why setting goals is often the easy part — but following through is where most people struggle.

We explore the relationship between goals, systems, values, motivation, and self-identity, discussing why lasting change often requires you to become the person capable of achieving the goal. We also cover SMART goals, accountability, visualisation, dopamine, setbacks, and the “all-or-nothing” mindset that can derail progress.

If you’ve ever struggled with consistency, motivation, or sticking to your goals, this episode offers practical insights to help you create sustainable habits and meaningful change.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Good morning. Morning. How are you doing? Good. How are you? Doing good, thank you. Um yeah, so today we are going to be talking about goal setting. Yeah. And setting goals. And I think this is something that probably resonates with everyone because I would put, you know, my hand on whatever to say that most people slash all people have probably at some point tried to set themselves some sort of goal. Yeah. And it could be Or are constantly setting goals to a certain extent. Exactly. Or are constantly setting goals. So, you know, we've got work goals, personal goals, whatever it might be, whether it's, you know, cutting down on sugar or exercising more or moving more. Um, and yet I would say probably most of the time people fail to meet their goals. So I think it's quite an interesting topic to explore around like goal setting, kind of the meaning of goal setting. Okay. And I guess what our advice would be as from like our professional point of view. But my first question to you is can you remember a recent goal that you've tried to set for yourself? And did you achieve it?

SPEAKER_00 1:21

Uh okay, so actually that's a good question. So I have the first one that comes to mind is I have set myself the goal of taking vitamin D every day. Okay. Which is a recent thing, as you know, because I haven't I've never really taken supplements. Um and I'm probably on day like five or six. And I actually think I'm gonna wait another week, but I actually think it has been a good uh mood stabilizer. Yeah. I think. But I'm gonna wait, I was gonna actually give it another week or so before making that formal conclusion. Um so that's been a positive one, and then I can give you loads of ones that I haven't completed. Like what goal setting uh that I've done. So like I've kind of fallen off the wagon of like evening reading.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:11

Which I was pretty good at the beginning.

SPEAKER_01 2:12

You were really good at. You were reading quite like a book a month or something.

SPEAKER_00 2:15

Yeah, and I've kind of fallen off the wagon. That's kind of like a shame because it is a goal of mine to or has been a goal of mine to keep that up. I need to get back into reading.

SPEAKER_01 2:26

Um isn't it so interesting too that even goals that we know make us feel better, we can still Oh, I think it's probably the key, actually.

SPEAKER_00 2:36

So we never really have goals that don't ultimately fail make us feel better.

SPEAKER_01 2:41

No, but they might be hard.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

Yeah or challenging.

SPEAKER_01 2:44

But you might not feel the difference at all. Like, for instance, quitting sugar.

SPEAKER_00 2:48

I would say most people would be like, you feel pretty Yeah, but the reason they're quitting sugar is probably for for physical change. Yes. So I do think a goal has to have a positive impact, otherwise you wouldn't you wouldn't really hold it up.

SPEAKER_01 3:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:03

Um, but I but to come back to it, there's yeah, there is goals that you know make a difference, like for example, reducing screen time, which you know is ebbs and flows for me, and I know it makes me feel better when I don't have that certain amount of screen time, but yet you fall into the trap of for you know being on your phone too much or your computer or something. So yeah, there's a constant, I was actually thinking about that recently, that there's a constant flow of kind of goals that I'm struggling to maintain or to put into like a really secure routine.

SPEAKER_01 3:38

Yeah. I think one of my most proud goals that I have achieved was to learn the lyrics of Gangster's Paradise. Yeah, by Bagala. That was a goal, yeah. I remember being like, I want to learn every lyric of that song. Yeah. And I did it. And you know how I did it? I I'm not gonna do it now.

SPEAKER_00 3:58

I was gonna say, this is a this was a perfect cue opening for you to put on.

SPEAKER_01 4:04

Um, but no, it was, and I remember, and it's yeah, it's definitely been one of my shadows. No, no, you're not gonna get you going. You're not gonna. But I'd still I'd say I'm I still have like 90% of it in my mind. But I remember being like, I really want to challenge my, especially because my memory is so bad too. So I was like, I'm gonna challenge myself that I want to remember this song. Um, but yeah, like you, I mean, gosh, how many goals have I set myself?

SPEAKER_00 4:35

What about you? Tell me about a goal recently that you've managed to implement and you're still keeping up.

SPEAKER_01 4:41

Um okay, well, uh one which is work-related, right? Was um posting on social um three times a week.

SPEAKER_00 4:51

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

So that was a really ambitious goal because I was, you know, it's something that I uh naturally dislike doing, but I do see the value in doing it. So that's something I've been pretty good and consistent with for the last, I would say maybe for the last like couple of months, and I've already geared up so that the next couple of months will be pretty covered. So something like that I've definitely done on a more personal basis, um exercising three times a week and really trying to maintain that, maintain that on a consistent basis. Um, now I'm not saying there's not been some hiccups, there's been a few times where I haven't managed it, but I've always forced myself the following week to get back into it. Okay. And like just to be like, that's a blip, that's gone.

SPEAKER_02 5:42

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 5:43

And I have to say, I think my professional work and what I talk to patients about has really helped with me to remember those lessons and be like, okay, this is just a one week off, that's fine, just keep going back to it. And interestingly, I would say, in terms of sort of long, long-term goals, that's definitely something that's improved for me. Like, you remember when we were teenagers, you couldn't get me to go to the gym for man or money. I was so lazy.

SPEAKER_00 6:13

I think now with hindsight and the knowledge that I have around that, or you know, that we've acquired as a around goal setting, I think that was a big identity thing. You didn't identify as someone who exercised you, who wanted to, and you wanted in a way you resisted it because it was like, well, I'm someone who finds it so difficult going to the gym. I hate the gym, I dislike the gym, I'm not a gymmer. Yeah. And then once you overcame that for whatever reason at the time, I think then it's become now, it's no longer the resistance. Yeah. And I would say I just picked up on this. I think your memory um poor memory thing is a bit of an identity thing. Probably. And I think you keep reiterating, I have terrible memory, I have terrible memory. And so you are essentially kind of making yourself boxed in that. Oh, I have a terrible memory, therefore I'm not gonna be able to do this, or I can't do this, or I'm not really.

SPEAKER_01 7:05

I need to start exercising my memory. It is one of my biggest flaws that I identify with myself. So maybe I have taken on that personality, but that's a separate thing. I would add to that exercise piece slash me becoming someone who now exercises, is also it became much more about the systems than the goal. And I think that could be one of the first things that we talk about when we talk about goal setting, is this idea that I think people will focus very much on the end piece, but really I think what helps is thinking more about the system.

SPEAKER_00 7:45

Oh, I'm gonna have to disagree on that.

SPEAKER_01 7:47

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

I think they are all into one. I think you have to know what you're going into, what you're achiev looking to achieve. You have to get like a big picture involved and really attach yourself to that, and then you work your way backwards, I think. And that includes systems, small steps, consistency, reality of your life, putting it together, making it work for you. But if you lose focus on what you're trying to achieve, I think it's very easy to get derailed or to give up or to lose momentum. But then you could say, then, what is my fitness end goal? I don't have like a marathon three times a week. That's what I want to do.

SPEAKER_01 8:28

But isn't that a system goal?

SPEAKER_00 8:29

No, that's I want to be someone who exercises three times a week.

SPEAKER_01 8:33

Yeah. But I I would take, depending on, I feel like I would categorize that as like a systems goal. So it's more around the system in place.

SPEAKER_00 8:42

Okay, but think back as a person who arrives and says, I don't like exercising and I don't know where to start. Okay, what do you want to achieve? What is it you would like to do? Do you want to run a marathon? Do you want to, you know, do no, no, I just want to be able to exercise consistently three times a week and feel good about it. Yeah. That's your end goal. That is what and once you've got the systems in place, once you've broken it down, once you manage to put that in your routine, you know, how much resistance there is, it might take a certain period of time. But when you get to the point you're like, oh, I'm going three times a week to the gym, and I and it's great. That's a goal achieved, and you've done that yourself. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:17

I would say, but then it's I mean, it's rare from my experience with clients that you have someone who's like, oh, I just want to be a three-a-week. That's my goal. Usually it'll be caveated with because I want to lose weight or I want to increase my muscle mass.

SPEAKER_00 9:33

Well, yeah, because you're a dietitian. But I mean, of course, they're not gonna come like you're not a sports um uh PT. But I think that okay, what I think maybe is true is some people are not clear on their goals. Yeah. And therefore, but that's something that we're gonna talk about in goal setting, and that's often where you get a bit of an issue if you aren't clear on your goals.

SPEAKER_01 9:56

Okay, let's tackle let's tackle that now.

SPEAKER_00 9:59

So how clear do you think people need to be? So I think goal setting requires a bunch of things that we can break down and talk about. But I think one of them that is key is clarity, clear goal, like a clear goal of some kind. Now I'm not saying it has to be static and it never moves and it never evolves, never changes, but in a way, if you want to change something, you have to know what it what into, you know. And I guess so. Clarity is key to achieving setting goals and and following them through and achieving them. I think what clarity helps to do is give you that big picture, know what you're working towards on the days where your motivation is is is gone or or non-existent, where you it gives you a purpose, your why. Yeah, and there's actually a bit in the kind of scientific neuroscience side, yeah, which is once you start being clear on something that you put your brain kind of focus on, you start seeing that in life. Um now, okay, maybe with the gym it it's not as relevant, but say you're looking for a different job or a different partner or uh, you know, something in your life and you start focusing on the things you're looking for, your brain filters for it. You know, you say to someone, you come out of this studio today and you and I say to you, in the next seven days, just look for red cars. Yeah, you're gonna spot so many red cars. Yeah. And I think it's the same with clarity. Like the more you become clear on something, the more you will start seeing it. The opportunities. And the opposite is true with rumination. If you start going, oh, I'm terrible at this, I can never achieve goals, I have no idea where to start, I don't know what I want, you know, you're totally lacking clarity, then you're not gonna find it very easy to get there.

SPEAKER_01 11:55

Well, yeah. I mean, by definition, if you don't know what you're aiming for, then what do you look out for? And I think this is also where opportunities, you'll spot the opportunities that increase your chances of actually achieving your goal. Um what are the other essentials?

SPEAKER_00 12:12

I think yes, I think you have to remember that it is going to be a challenge.

SPEAKER_01 12:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:17

And this is where your bit, the system comes into being. And the reason being is that we are not wired for change. No, we're just not. Yeah. And if you're by default setting a goal, you're trying to change something in your daily life, in your weekly uh schedule, your monthly schedule. So you're trying to uh input change, yeah, and we are just not wired for that. We're always gonna revert to familiar and to quote like essentially safety. Yeah, because that's the brain is looking for that. It's not looking to be like fulfilled and happy and all that, it's looking to survive at this primal level. Yeah. So goal setting is gonna therefore create a bit of a challenge because you're overcoming, like, oh well, I'm now moving three times a week, I'm going to the gym, I'm doing these things. And your default at the beginning is 100 for everyone. This is not for just what you it's for everyone, it's going to be. No, no, no, there's resistance.

SPEAKER_01 13:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:12

So I think that's really important to acknowledge that it is not going to be, and some goals might be easier than others, but yeah, like taking vitamin D every day is relatively low barrier. Oh, no way. Yeah. Because it's kind of then that's the first thing, or when I'm brushing my teeth, I'll take it. But you know, if I'd put it in the drawer in the side table, I'd forget about it. Um arbitrarily it's the same thing. I'm just taking vitamin D every day, but I've put it somewhere that I can see it, even though it's a very easy goal as such. You can always not do them because it's not a habit yet.

SPEAKER_01 13:46

Yeah, and that's true. I'm I'm the same with my vitamins. They have to be like under the mugs in the kitchen so that I know that when I'm making my cup of tea, I can they're right there. Have a glass of water while I wait for like my tea to brew. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 13:58

So I think it's it's important to to therefore acknowledge that goals are fairly easy to set, but they're pretty hard to follow through.

unknown 14:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:06

What else is on that pink list of yours?

SPEAKER_00 14:09

So I put down a I think this is really important. Um and they come together. It's the what we've spoken about, the identity piece, which is obviously quite uh spoken about already.

SPEAKER_01 14:26

This is when I really it's so hard for me to try and emphasize the importance of this though to my patients. Because I think when it comes to I deal predominantly with weight loss when it comes to this sort of thing. And I really try to introduce this concept, like you have to be you have to start speaking to yourself like you are someone who has who does these habits every day. It's not something that you're putting a mask on and you're pretending to be. It's you are this. It's I am someone who has three meals a day and a snack. I am someone who will make time to exercise, who will make time to prep my meals so that I eat healthy and balanced.

SPEAKER_00 15:13

And I think this is the probably one of the areas that's the hardest because I do think there's psychology involved into this. And so from a my coaching perspective, I find that there's an element of it which I can kind of like, you know, it's very like textbooky and Instagram-y, and you say it and you say it and you believe it, and you and it's true, I do believe it. I do generally I've read enough books and I I do fundamentally see it in myself, you know, in the bits that I've struggled with or you know, the bits I've managed to succeed in. There is an element where you have you really basically have to, you know, become that person. But I think that if you are struggling, fundamentally struggling with it, then that's where you have to understand the psychology, which means going a bit back into time. Like, why am I convincing myself that I can't do it? You know, why am I um believing this about myself? Because that will have it will probably be more of like a therapy area to understand what's holding you back. And that piece of identity, I think, is very closely linked to values, and that's another piece. But values is probably more natural because it's from like your upbringing, your culture, your religion, where you grew up, your your primary carers, all of these things that come together, your experience, your life experience, and that creates your values. So once you're super, super aligned with your values, you will naturally overcome that mo it will bring you that natural motivation. Um, but that also is, I suppose, intrinsically linked with identity.

SPEAKER_01 16:41

I think that's a really interesting one, the values piece too, which is also a word of caution, which is when you are trying to set a goal, make sure that it is a goal that you have set for yourself and that you're not just doing it for someone else, or you've seen online or whatever it might be, and you think this is what I should be doing. If you start thinking I should, yeah, then that's not something that you inherently, intrinsically want. I agree. And I think so often we find that should. Oh, my doctor told me I should lose weight, or my doctor said this, or my friends have told me I should do this. And you're like, but what do you want to do? Because this is only going to work if you want to do it.

SPEAKER_00 17:23

And you believe fundamentally, and I actually I just thought what you said is so for me, it's so relevant with parenting. Because you are being fed so much information, like, oh no, screen time, oh no, this, lots of this, lots of this, or and you think, okay, I should do this, I should do this, I should be a good parent. I should say yes all the time, that never say no, I should do this, I should, and then you realize, like, okay, there's that's not fundamentally really how I parent. Yeah, it's not fundamentally realistic for me, or it's not really working for my child, or whatever. And so you you end up kind of doing it your way, and I think it it comes back to okay, actually, I believe this is good enough. I believe this is working for me. And so that's a very much a values, I'd say a values thing. And people are love to tell you, like, oh, are they doing this or are they doing that? Are they doing it? People are harsh to parents. This is one thing I've realized versus the am doing or can do. But it comes from all sources, and and I'd say because you have to choose your battles, if you have like a I suppose an environment where you've got lots of other responsibilities, you then your battles are chosen by the values that are important to you. So you say, Okay, I can I'm gonna be lenient on this because I need to be yes stricter on this. Being is that you end up doing what is aligned to you.

SPEAKER_01 18:40

Yes. But this is I mean, with you going through pregnancy sort of relatively reason recently and so to proximity to me, I have noticed so many opinions about you know, and it was from sort of dot from when you got pregnant. It was, oh, should you be doing that or shouldn't you be doing this or doing it that way?

SPEAKER_00 19:02

I I really don't listen to that stuff.

SPEAKER_01 19:03

You genuinely don't.

SPEAKER_00 19:05

I remember hearing it and being like, yeah. I mean, apart from mum, maybe saying things, I don't actually listen to any of it. I don't, but I think it's because I just think I'm pretty convinced that I'm a good mum. I'm sure I'm not the best out there. I'm definitely not the worst, and that's kind of good enough. I have a happy kid, I'm a happy mum. I just think that's it works, it works, and so there are of course there are times I genuinely Googled the other day, like, is it normal for a child to be as energetic as you know, like you know, how does he is that a normal thing? Is he like I do get my normal nerves about like, oh my gosh, have I raised like a you know like a crazy hyperactive kid? Yeah, well is it pogo stick type of kid?

SPEAKER_01 19:48

Oh my gosh, he is he honestly looks like he's gonna be able to do it.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

So we do do the usual googling things, but I think fundamentally you What did it say? It said yes, it's totally normal. And in their brains, the synapses in their brains are so quick at that age, or they're like it's powering together so quickly that it causes them to constantly need to either move or like interacting or like and it's a very normal, apparently it's a very normal thing in the age. Is it normal for them to like hop everywhere like he does?

SPEAKER_01 20:17

Like I said.

SPEAKER_00 20:22

Anchoring to values. And I think also, at least in where I come in my work, I'd say maybe not everyone, but a lot of people who are not achieving their goals, is probably a mix between the identity and the values. I think they believe that they want to be a certain person, either because it it's they've read about it, or they think I should have a different work-life balance, or I should, and actually what's or I should have a coach because XYZ. And the ones who are not achieving that outcome, fundamentally, I think, in their heart of hearts, if they really truly were true to themselves, they're probably okay with everything as it is. If it doesn't hurt, it's probably not gonna change.

SPEAKER_01 21:06

Yeah, and I do think that's a big one. Is the let's face it, the people who are the most motivated are the ones that have felt a pain point and therefore they are acting on that. It's I mean, it's interesting. We were talking just yesterday, and I was saying to you, like, I am kind of going through a bit of a X existential in a way of who am I? Who am I? And what is my voice? And I'm a I'm a pretty sort of self-confident person and pretty secure, and that it's not around sort of necessarily those things, but it's really trying to tap into like what does Clementine sound like? What how does she express herself? What is gonna be, you know, and they always say, you know, you when you leave a room, like, how are people gonna be talking about me? And I've been really trying to do this super sort of self exploration exercise because I, although we say it's gotta be aligned to your value. Values. I think for a lot of people, they don't values sometimes you do need to sort of tune back in. Like, oh, is this a value of mine? They change and we never really sit with ourselves and think, oh, what are my values? You know, and I think sometimes it's a healthy thing to be like, let's tune out. Who could without caring what people are saying out there in the spheres, the femosphere or the manosphere or whatever it is, what are my values? And where am I going to derive joy and happiness and contentment?

SPEAKER_00 22:34

I'd say that's probably one of the I think it's a really hard one to admit to yourself as well.

SPEAKER_01 22:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:39

Um, and and when I really think about the clients I've had who haven't gone through the work in a way which has been maybe as worthwhile for them. Yeah. And my and this is my external opinion, maybe they would say it differently, but I think it's because they're just not really, I don't think it's it's too much of the other pieces. It's really like they probably don't want it that much because it's not important enough or it doesn't, it's not exactly who they think they need to be or want to be at that time. And I also think that is that because it changes over time, there are periods of light where it's a bit harder to be aligned to your values. Yes. Because you go through limbo stages where you're in between two things, and you know, I'm not saying they you you completely do it, or some people maybe do a three, you know, especially to do with religion or culture.

SPEAKER_01 23:28

180, 360 is come back to where you were.

SPEAKER_00 23:31

Yeah. I'm just back here. Yeah, yeah. Oh, oh. Um yeah, do a 180. Yeah, you do a 180. Some people, of course, do, but most people just do some kind of like shifting a little bit. Yeah. Because they become older. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 23:44

I was gonna say you're constantly changing anyway.

SPEAKER_00 23:47

Yeah. Um okay. Anything else that we need to know about goal setting? You release dopamine. It gets released not only once you've achieved something, but also in the process. So it comes back to don't underestimate the small, you know, uh b pieces of progress you're making along the way. Yeah. And celebrate that. I'm not saying like, oh, you know, like have a party, but like actually say, okay, yeah, you I've done pretty good this week, or I've achieved, you know, and recognize that because you are actually getting a nice hit of dopamine, which then will keep you going. Um, and we do need that in order to fulfill a goal. So I think that it is important to remember, like, achieving the wrongs on the way up does really help.

SPEAKER_01 24:32

The one thing I would add to that too is I do see quite a lot with patients where they'll achieve, they'll be like three quarters in towards their goal, and then that's sometimes where they let go and they pull the pedal off because it's suddenly that oh, but I need to reward myself. So how I'm gonna reward myself by adding some of the things that I've been excluding and things like that. And to me, that's always a bit of a for lack of a better you know, term, red flag of well, if you've been punishing yourself, you've been punishing the cell, you're gonna find it really and you will probably revert back to how you were eventually. And so it's that thing of yes, it can be hard, but eventually it has to be something that you're happy to do kind of on a consistent sort of basis, really. Um I'm gonna add a couple of practical bits to this goal setting. Um, one is and I know I've barked on about this before, but I just don't think I can emphasize enough how this is important. Make it small, make it to the smallest possible component of you achieving that end goal. And because if it's too big and if it's too complicated, very quickly you're gonna give up. And like you said, it is hard and painful enough getting your body and your mind and your brain to accept change that if the higher you make that barrier or that threshold to overcome, the less likely you're gonna do it. So, you know, really bring it down to sort of the the most simple component and then add and then add and then add. So if you're going from no exercise to wanting to go three times a week, start with one and make it 20 minutes and then build. Because I I just think that's such a critical point when you want meaningful long-term change. It doesn't happen quickly, it does take time, and you have to make it easy for you, as easy as possible, given the you know, the fact that it is inherently difficult.

SPEAKER_00 26:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:37

And so in the second one, I would say, is prepare to fail. Like I said earlier on.

SPEAKER_00 26:44

Well, that goes into what I was saying about the challenging piece, like accept the challenge. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 26:48

It's gonna be challenging, but I think accept to fail and maybe put a plan in place already so you can preempt that, right? What's gonna happen on the days I can't do this? Am I just gonna give up and throw you know the baby out with the bathwater? No, you'll have a plan, come up with it.

SPEAKER_00 27:05

So you've used that expression before the baby out with the bathwater. I'd never heard that before.

SPEAKER_01 27:09

It means you kind of um you chuck it all out, even though Are you sure that's an expression? Yeah, it is a genuine expression. It's not yeah, you're going the whole, you're taking ever all the goodness and the bad at the same time. So instead of saying, okay, I'm just gonna get rid of the dirty water, you're kind of chucking everything out at the same time. So wait, no, even though you've exactly and then you're like, oh shit, the baby. But and it's the same thing. It's like, oh, well, and it's you know, for to quote someone who commented on one of our last posts, excuse my my dirty language, I'm about to say, but it's there is an expression which is that fuck it moment where people who let's say they've been on a diet, and then they'll something will happen that throws them off of their diet, and then they're just gonna ruin their whole day or their whole week as a result.

SPEAKER_00 27:57

She said beautiful British accent, terrible, terrible vocab. I mean, that's fair to be honest, you shouldn't be swearing. You do swear quite badly.

SPEAKER_01 28:06

Okay, but this is not what we're talking about today. Another another another session on we can do it on swearing and the it feels swearing. Potty mouth, potty mouth clam. Um so yeah, so and I think it's it's that whole idea that you it you you will fall off the bandwagon. It's just likely that it's gonna happen. And so instead of being really surprised, and I always say that to my clients, it's like it's like TFL and when it snows, every year we get a snow day, and yet every year it feels like they're unprepared for it, and they're like, What? This never happens, you know, it literally happened last year. Or the leaves on the track, or the leaves on the track, or whatever, and you're just like, you know, this is gonna happen, just prepare for it, yeah, and then you'll be absolutely fine. Um okay. I mean, this so another thing I'm gonna bring in is um, and some people probably heard about these SMART goals.

SPEAKER_00 29:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:03

And there's a piece in the SMART goals, um, it's actually T, which is the time bound. Like it has to be restricted to a time frame. Um, and we haven't talked about time frames, but I guess it could help someone at the beginning if you give yourself like a shorter term goal rather than really, you know, super long term, which can seem a bit daunting sometimes, starting off with some smaller frameworks. Okay. They are specific. So smart goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant. We didn't talk about the measurable piece so much, but I guess I mean I, yeah, that's true actually.

SPEAKER_00 29:43

And I think everyone works differently around that. Some people like to tick, you know, have a kind of uh like a tick box. A tick box. I think some people like like check-ins with it's with your PT, with your coach, with you know, someone who you've made accountable. Um, I think it could be in your diary, it could be judge, everyone has different ways, but I do see there's a benefit in being able to say, I'm very much of a ticker, like you know. Yeah, in my diary, I move things around and it makes me feel so I suppose that's the measurable piece for me.

SPEAKER_01 30:14

Um and I guess for someone else it could be um, you know, if you're going three times a week, it's about the going to the three times a week. If it's a weight base, it's measuring that way.

SPEAKER_00 30:25

I I do think in the so maybe the measurable piece is just incorporate it into your planner, into your diary, putting it as a figure out where you can as a function of that day or that week. Um so yeah, that would be how I would say it would fit in. I think uh a piece that I've just thought about, which I'm not sure if it is maybe this is more of a tactic or a side, I do feel like having the imagination or what now people call visualization, yeah, that when I'm trying to do something that me seems difficult to me, I do think it as like an as a success, what it would be like a success. So for example, if I'm weight training, yeah, and I'm doing that for my own physical benefit. Are you visualizing Schwarzenegger? No, but I am thinking my head physically, where what would you know this sounds maybe petty or or superficial, but what do I want to look like in a s in a swimsuit or you know, in the summer? And it's of course it's to do with my own confidence, it doesn't matter really what I look like, but it's also thinking, you know, do will I physically look or feel better? Uh another one, for example, for me was you know, I held a workshop a couple of weeks ago. Um, and I thought in my head as when I was preparing for it, was really I imagine what it would look like to be in the workshop, how I would yeah, how I would be starting the conversation, how I would be engaging. So I I put myself in that position so that when it comes to it, it does feel like you've been there.

SPEAKER_01 32:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:03

You know, you did it help? I think it helps because it it means that there's no is less unknown. Yeah. You've put it in your head as imagination, you've kind of gone through it, and I suppose it makes you feel like you've already been there. I feel like this falls also into that bucket that we talked about, which is clarity. Your brain doesn't know the difference between perceived and real. So actually, if you're living those, if you're putting those um neurological pathways together in your visualization, and it's why visualization has actually been very successful in in for people who practice it, you know, very regularly, because your brain is thinking, oh, I've been there, I've already achieved this, even though it was a visual rather than an actual. So it's a really powerful tool. Now I'm not saying you have to be an expert, I can you can even call it like imagination and and I'm sure, you know, athletes, they like really, really professional athletes. I bet you they have visualized hundreds and hundreds of times, like picking up that trophy, winning Wimbledon, being on the podium at number one spot.

SPEAKER_01 33:10

Also F1 drivers they visualize the track and how they're gonna drive it. So it increases your performance. Absolutely. Okay, I think we've touched on a lot about goals. Thank you so much for watching Shift Happens. You can watch this episode and all the other episodes wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you so much.