Rewarding Yourself for Goals Achieved

Do your goals seem out of reach sometimes?  Do you get frustrated during the process when things don't move as quickly as you'd like?  You are not alone!  We have become a society of instant gratification.  Unfortunately, that can work against you when you are trying to work towards a goal.  Change takes time.  This is why the last post was about breaking your goal into smaller short-term goals.  Achieving each small goal is another step towards the big goal.  But, sometimes we forget to look at the "little" achievements and then we get frustrated because we haven't yet achieved the BIG goal. 

How can we help ourselves with this barrier?  Reward yourself for the baby steps.  When you set your weekly goals, establish some rewards for achieving them.  But, be smart about your rewards.  If you are trying to lose weight, don't reward yourself with food!  Obviously, that can be counterproductive!  If your goals are fitness/health related, reward yourself accordingly.  Download some new workout music, buy some new workout clothes, or work towards that massage you've been wanting.  Your rewards should support what you're working towards and they should make sense for what you've achieved. 

Here's an example of how to reward yourself for your achievements.

Overall Goal - Lose 15 pounds
Reward for achieving this goal - Massage

Weekly goal (Week 1) - Lift weights 2x this week, Run/Walk 3-4x this week
Reward - Download 3 new workout songs

Weekly goal (Week 2) - Continue with Week 1 goal + Eat 3-4 servings of vegetables daily
Reward - New weight gloves

You get the idea.  Set the big goal with a big reward.  Set smaller goals with smaller rewards. Do you have to reward yourself for every step?  That depends on you.  Some people need regular reminders to keep going, others are satisfied with just working towards one bigger reward, and still others don't really need rewards.  If you struggle with achieving your goals and you haven't tried rewarding yourself - try it!  That extra motivation may be just what you need!  

Remember to share your goals with someone this week!