Goal Setting 101

In recovery, you learn a lot about yourself, your defects, and the world around you. You probably have a new perspective on life. While not everything is always rosy when you get newly clean and sober, you’ll find as time passes you’re more optimistic and grateful for your new way of life. Life can be very rewarding in recovery! But often you can get bored or complacent if you haven’t managed to set some goals for the future.

So, what do you want to accomplish in the next year? Take the time to think about the parts of your life that you want to improve. Do you want a better-paying job? A deeper relationship with your spouse? Or do you want to take the time to explore a new hobby? Once you’ve decided these goals, you can write them down. Don’t make more than 5. Once you have completed this, it’s time to make these goals “S.M.A.R.T.” by going through the checklist below. This system for goal setting is used by people all over the world to create realistic and achievable goals.

Making Your Goals “SMART”

SPECIFIC: Make your goals specific. Specific answers assess your needs and make sure that the goal meets them. Examples would be: Spending more quality time with your husband. Helping out more with responsibilities in your house. Finding a new job in the hospitality industry that pays $40,000 or above.
MEASURABLE: Is there a way to measure if you have completed this goal? What will achieving this goal feel or look like? For example, you’ll know that you’re helping more around the house when you keep a daily checklist of responsibilities.
ACHIEVABLE: Your goals shouldn’t be outlandish, they should be reasonable. For example, you can’t expect to find a job that pays $100,000 in the tech industry if you’ve just graduated from college and have no work experience.
RELEVANT: Is your goal relevant to you and your lifestyle? For example, do you have the means to achieve your goal? If you don’t have training, you probably can’t get some jobs. Make sure that you’re ready and have the right resources for achieving the goals.
TIMELY: Set deadlines but make sure they are realistic. For example, if your goal is to take classes at the community college, make sure there is the time in your schedule and plan how many courses you can take each semester.

Goal setting can be more accessible with the SMART system and can help you plan your time more wisely when you’re in recovery. Watching yourself check your goals off the list can be very exciting. Using SMART goals for your planning can help you start working on the things that matter to you.

Getting Help

It’s hard to chase goals or dreams when you’ve got a problem with drugs or alcohol. Give yourself a chance. We’ve helped many people start on course in recovery. No matter who you are or what you use, we want to help you get clean! Reclaim your life in a holistic and inspiring environment. Please give us a call at US (949) 279-1376 or MX (612) 153-5726 to learn more about your options.