How to Set S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Goals (Part 6): T is for “Track Your Progress”
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Filed under Happiness & Success
In yesterday’s blog post, I discussed the importance of setting Realistic goals. In today’s post, I will show why it important to Track Your Progress.
The key to your success is hidden in your daily routine. Each day you need to record in writing what actions you actually took to accomplish your goal.I encourage you to take the time to measure what you treasure.This may sound simplistic, but I have found that it really works. For example, if you’re trying to eat less, you need to keep a written record of everything you eat on a daily basis.
According to research conducted in 2008 by Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research, dieters who kept a daily journal of what they ate achieved remarkable weight loss success. By keeping track of the exact number of calories they consumed, they lost twice as much weight as those who did not keep a food journal.
I keep a journal and record how long I exercise each day. Since I write in my journal on a daily basis, I can’t “forget” to exercise. By keeping track in writing, when I skip a day of exercise, I am reminded that I really need to exercise the next day. It is unpleasant to write, “I didn’t exercise today.”In contrast, when I record how long I exercise, I get a feeling of accomplishment, because I am able to see my consistency and track my progress over time.
How will you regularly track your progress? It doesn’t matter if you use a journal, a calendar, a smart phone, or a computer, as long as you keep track of your progress on a daily basis.