The Top 7 Must-Haves for Achieving Health Goals

In this post, I’m sharing the top 7 must-haves I think everyone needs for achieving health goals. And, no, I’m not talking about the latest exercise equipment, digital tracking gadgets, diet plans, or recipes.

You may be familiar with goal-setting at work. But do you consciously set goals for your health?

Most people don’t. And not only do most people fail to set goals for their health, but they don’t have a good understanding of what it takes to actually achieve their goals once they’re in place.

Understanding what it takes to achieve a goal will greatly enhance your odds of success. Here are those 7 must-haves for making your health goals a reality:

1. Start with a fully formed goal.

Most people don’t have goals that are truly goals to begin with. Most are just vague wishes, half-baked preferences or random desires. You can’t achieve a goal that’s not really a goal, after all.  There are many frameworks for building, stating, and setting goals, but the thing they all seem to have in common is that a proper goal has these 3 basic components:

• It’s important to you.

  • If you’re not interested, or invested in the importance of the goal, then what’s the point? It’s easier to achieve a goal that you find motivating.

• It is clear.

  • How will you know when you’ve achieved your goal? Be specific in how you articulate the goal, and have a way of measuring your progress along the way.

• It has a time frame.

  • Your goal won’t be accomplished without a deadline. That’s because it’s all too easy to keep waiting for “tomorrow” to get started. Tomorrow never comes when there’s no deadline to meet.

2. Visualize achieving your goal.

No matter how “good” your goal is, it will never be achieved if you can’t visualize yourself successfully achieving it. If you can’t see yourself achieving your goal, then you don’t believe you can do it. Imagine what it will be like when you meet your goal. If you find this challenging, ask yourself what will it take for you to see yourself meeting your goal? This is something a coach can help you with, by the way.

3. Use affirmations daily.

State affirmatively, in positive, present-tense language that you are achieving your goal. Think of the attributes you need to have to be successful. Write several affirmations that support those attributes and use them daily. Click here for some examples to get you started. Recite your affirmations to yourself multiple times each day, preferably aloud. Keep written copies of your affirmation statements posted where you can see them as you go about your daily activities. Integrate them into your thoughts, and meditate on them intentionally to lock them into your subconscious.

4. Get the right information.

If your goal is playing “Imagine” on the piano, and you believe the best way to accomplish that is to do 1,000 push-ups each day, do you think you’ll make much progress with your music? You might have a great goal. And you might be super motivated. But if the strategies you’re using and the actions you’re taking don’t match up with each other, you’ll never achieve your goal. Bottom line: You need the right information about what actions will help you meet your goal. Where are you seeking assistance? Who are you asking for help?

5. Take consistent action.

The idea of making your wishes known to the universe and then just relaxing until some mystical force delivers what you want is very appealing. However, taking action is necessary to bring about real change. And, by the way, simply stating affirmations daily doesn’t count, here. Depending on your goal, you can’t simply take action only once. Your action will likely need to be repeated. Consistent action is necessary to build new habits and move forward toward a goal. Figure out what you need to do, then do it. And keep doing it. Soon, your goal will be met.

6. Welcome discomfort.

Pursuing any significant goal will create discomfort, and you must be able to welcome that discomfort and not allow it to stop you. You can learn how to minimize your discomfort as much as possible and deal with what remains. There’s no way around discomfort, so don’t let it surprise you.

• Discomfort comes in many forms.

  • For you, discomfort might be the fear of failure. It might be some actual failure. It may involve rejection, the challenge of learning something new or doing something you’ve never done before.

• Don’t get distracted.

  • Does giving up your favorite distractions so you have time to work on your goal create discomfort?

• Recognize discomfort as progress.

  • Whatever the source of your discomfort, it’s important to recognize it as progress along the way to achieving your goal.

7. Maintain patience and persistence.

Achieving goals can take time. Big goals take more time. Add in a little discomfort or even a little setback, and suddenly, giving up seems appealing. You can’t achieve a goal if you quit before it’s accomplished. Patience and persistence are two of the most important traits anyone can possess.

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All of the items in this list are useful for achieving your goals in a wide variety of life situations outside of health improvement. Whether your goal is to shed ten pounds or make a million dollars, these ideas are helpful.

Build new health habits around these seven must-haves, and your health improvement efforts will pay off. You’ll meet your health goals. It’s entirely possible, but it’s easier said than done. If you need help, that’s what coaches are for. As a health empowerment coach, I’d love to help you set new health goals and take the action to achieve them. Find out more here.

What’s been your experience with health goals in the past? Leave your comments below.