You are already familiar with the traditional New Year’s resolutions: lose weight, get in shape, stop smoking, the list goes on. Every year, undoubtedly, people desire to make a change in their life and set a huge and hefty goal to make that happen. And, every year, they fall flat when the shine (and excitement of a new gym membership) wears off by February. 

If this is you, that’s okay, but this year, it’s time to opt for something different. Instead of going for a huge resolution that will lead to more stress, why not focus on setting SMART goals? This system helps you set goals that are not only doable, but that will certainly add up to create that big change you want to see in your life! 

The theme of this issue of Be Well is “New Year, Whole You” because, here at Hancock Health, we believe that it is always possible to make changes in your life that will help you to feel more alive and authentically you. Whether you are battling a health condition or not, becoming the best version of yourself is a great way to ensure you will have a higher quality of life in the long run. 

Change is a big subject, and one that many providers, lifestyle medicine physicians, health coaches and therapists work with daily. But, what is the best motivation for change? The truth is that this question can only be answered by the individual who will be setting the goals. In other words, YOU are the only one who knows what will motivate you to make changes in 2026, whether that includes getting stronger, eating healthier, completing a marathon or anything else you dream possible. 

So, before you start working with the goal setting below, make sure you know the “why” behind your resolution. Do you want to lose weight so you can have more energy to play with your kids? Do you want to get stronger so you can fight the symptoms of menopause? Maybe you want to quit smoking because it is finally time to prioritize your health. No matter what you chose, the answer has to come from you in order for your goals to be effective.

Setting goals is more than about naming the end result and working toward it haphazardly. In fact, sometimes this can be so overwhelming that many people simply give up. If you want to make real changes in your life this year (and beyond), the method of setting SMART goals will guide you to breaking any task down into meaningful steps that you can feel great about.

You want to begin by setting specific goals with detail. This may include numbers, days of the week, distance, time or any other number of specifics. 

Ex: Let’s say you would like to build up to running a marathon but you haven’t hit the pavement in years. Is there a specific goal you can make right now that will help you get started? For the sake of this example, let’s say that means starting out by running one mile, three times per week.

Next, you want a goal that can be easily measured so that you can clock your progress. 

Ex: Going back to the example above, if you are choosing to run three times per week, you can use a fitness tracker or create a spreadsheet for yourself. Clock when you ran, the time it took you to run and even how to felt afterwards.

No matter what goal you are setting, you want to make sure it is doable for you at this moment in time. Maybe running a marathon isn’t doable – yet – so you need to start with a goal that doesn’t feel like it is too overwhelming for you physically, mentally or emotionally. 

Ex: Does running one mile three times per week feel achievable? Do you have the time to set aside and a place to run? Do you have the physical stamina or do you need to start smaller?

You need to make sure that this bite-size chunk is relevant to your overall end goal. 

Ex: Does running one mile, three times per week now help you get to your goal of running a marathon? The answer is yes! You will be improving your stamina and will be able to increase the amount you are running over time. 

This may be one of the most important factors in goal setting. If you are setting a time in which to complete this goal, you will be far more likely to succeed. Once you have hit your time mark, you know you are ready to set the next SMART goal! 

Ex: In our example, you could set a goal to run one mile, three times per week for the next month, with that stopping point being your time-bound characteristic. 

Setting goals doesn’t come easily to everyone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start out your 2026 looking to achieve something really SMART. By throwing out those blanket resolutions and opting for something specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound, you will be on the path toward big change in no time!