How to set realistic goals

What is a realistic goal?

A realistic goal is one that's achievable and manageable within your current circumstances. 

It’s important to have goals, and whilst big ambitions like “stopping drinking or drug use” are great, they can also be a little overwhelming.

Breaking your big ambitions down into smaller, gradual changes will help you to get there one step at a time.

What are your goals?

Your goals might be to do with your health, getting out and about, or something to do with your drinking or drug use. Whatever they are, the key is figuring out what works best for you and your individual needs.

But it’s also important to weave in goals that include fun activities. Achieving fun and pleasurable goals releases happy hormones in your brain, helping you make positive connections and motivating you to do more.

Fun goals might include:

• going for a day out with friends or family
• joining a local activity group
• cooking your favourite meal once a week

Little things like this can add up to big, positive changes in your life. But for this to happen, your goals need to be clear and realistic.

Here’s a handy formula you can use to help do this:

3 step guide to goal setting

1. Start by writing down your big ambition. This could be something like drinking less, stopping using drugs altogether or improving your health - whatever big change you want to make in an ideal world. 
2. Next, think about the first thing you can do to work towards your overall ambition - no matter how small.
3. To make sure it’s achievable, ask yourself the below five questions.

Your goal should be SMART:

• Specific: What exactly do you want to do?
• Measurable: How will you know when you’ve done it?
• Achievable: Can you realistically do it?
• Relevant: Does the goal relate to something important in your life?
• Timely: When do you want to achieve it?

Putting it into practice

So, if your main goal is to stop drinking altogether, then your smaller goal to help get you there could be: “I’ll have a drink-free day this week.”

This goal is:

• Specific: it’s about managing your consumption for one day, not all time
• Measurable: you’ll know for sure when you’ve done it
• Achievable: one drink-free day a week is a realistic amount
• Relevant: it works towards your general goal of stopping drinking
• Timely: you will have a week complete it

This also works if you’d like to cut down on your drug use too. Your smaller goal to help get you there could be: “I’ll have a drug-free day this week.”

Again, this goal is:

• Specific: it’s about managing your consumption for one day, not all time
• Measurable: you’ll know for sure when you’ve done it
• Achievable: one drug-free day a week is a realistic amount
• Relevant: it works towards your general goal of cutting down or reducing your drug use
• Timely: you will have a week complete it

Alternatively, let’s say your big ambition is to exercise more. For this ambition, a realistic goal could be: “I’m going to go swimming for half an hour at lunchtime next Friday.”

This goal is:

• Specific: it’s about swimming, not exercise in general
• Measurable: you’ll know for sure when you’ve done it
• Achievable: half an hour of swimming a week is a realistic amount
• Relevant: it works towards your general goal of exercising more
• Timely: you will have until next Friday to complete it

Remember, setting goals looks different for everyone. Whatever change you make, big or small, is a step towards a healthier, more mindful you.