Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.
-Tony Robbins
By now, hopefully you’ve read my posts on setting effective goals.
Now, I want to take a moment and discuss how goal-setting relates to activity trackers. Do you have a Fitbit, Jawbone UP, Misfit Shine, or anything similar? Does it tell you that you have to walk 10,000 steps to reach your goal today? Based on everything we learned about setting effective goals, does that seem like a quality goal you should be setting? For the sake of this post, keep in mind the example we came up with the other day.
We have our outcome goal, which is the destination:
Outcome: I will run the local 5k on January 1st in under 30 minutes.
And we have process goals, which provide us the road map of how to get there.
Process: I will limit my junk food consumption to once a week on Saturday evenings.
I will eat more calories than my daily expenditure to aid recovery and training.
Now, I want to take a moment and discuss how goal-setting relates to activity trackers. Do you have a Fitbit, Jawbone UP, Misfit Shine, or anything similar? Does it tell you that you have to walk 10,000 steps to reach your goal today? Based on everything we learned about setting effective goals, does that seem like a quality goal you should be setting? For the sake of this post, keep in mind the example we came up with the other day.
We have our outcome goal, which is the destination:
Outcome: I will run the local 5k on January 1st in under 30 minutes.
And we have process goals, which provide us the road map of how to get there.
Process: I will limit my junk food consumption to once a week on Saturday evenings.
I will eat more calories than my daily expenditure to aid recovery and training.
SMARTS Goals and Activity Trackers
Effective goals are Specific, Measurable, Adjustable, Realistic, Time-bound, and Self-determined. While activity trackers do some things well in regards to goals, there is a lot of room for improvement.
Specific
While 10,000 steps may seem specific, it’s not specific to you. It’s a measure based on “averages.” Set a goal specific to you, your outcome goals, and you’ll do a lot better than you would otherwise.
Measurable
Yeah, 10,000 steps is definitely measurable, and that's one of the great aspects of a fitness tracker-- immediate, measurable feedback.. You either reached your goal or you didn’t. But instead of just having your goal be 10,000 steps, use that measurable aspect to help you create a more effective process goal. Have it be part of your plan, rather than and end goal.
Adjustable
Can our 10,000 step goal be adjusted to consider potential road blocks? Most of the new activity trackers will adjust your daily goal based on an averages of your previous day’s activities, but not all. Keep that in mind while setting your goals.
Realistic
This goes back to how they came up with that 10,000 number. It’s based on averages, so odds are, it’s not very accurate to your abilities. Be sure to adjust your “step goal” to your level. A number that is challenging but achievable.
Time-Bound
Each activity “cycle” ends at the end of the day. So, there is some time factor. However, there is no ultimate “end” in sight, so users will tend to get bored of the monotony of it. You will never really gain that feeling of accomplishment, which is one of the reasons goal setting is so effective.
Self-Determined
Most importantly, that’s not YOUR goal. That’s a goal set for you by the manufacturers. If you set the goal, you own that goal. It is something YOU decided that YOU need to do. If the manufacturers of the product told you that your goal was to learn Mandarin Chinese, will you be motivated to put in the time necessary?
Set your own goals. If you have something you really want to achieve, make it a goal. Right now, think of something you’d like to work towards. It could be today, next week, or in a year. Something that you’re willing to dedicate the time and effort necessary to achieve. I am willing to bet your goal isn’t “I want to walk 10,000 steps today.”
Set your own goals. If you have something you really want to achieve, make it a goal. Right now, think of something you’d like to work towards. It could be today, next week, or in a year. Something that you’re willing to dedicate the time and effort necessary to achieve. I am willing to bet your goal isn’t “I want to walk 10,000 steps today.”
How Can They Be Better?
This is the million dollar question. Obviously, people have significantly different goals. As I said before, it could be to run a marathon or a mile. So, trying to find a one-size-fits-all approach is probably not going to work. But there's one quick, easy fix these companies could make in order to help you reach your goals, whatever they are.
That is, let YOU pick the goal. Have to charge your activity tracker before putting it on? As part of the pairing process, ask the user! “What is your goal?” While most people don’t know how to set effective goals, an app would be more than capable of helping them form a quality goal, providing them feedback along the way. Do you have a goal weight you’re shooting for? A race you’re training for? Input your own goal, and you can own it. When you’re starting to struggle, or don’t want to get off the couch that day, you can use it to remind yourself of your goal. Allow the activity tracker to be a visual cue for you—every time you look at it, you will be reminder of your goal—not theirs. The best part is, when you achieve that goal, you can set another!
That is, let YOU pick the goal. Have to charge your activity tracker before putting it on? As part of the pairing process, ask the user! “What is your goal?” While most people don’t know how to set effective goals, an app would be more than capable of helping them form a quality goal, providing them feedback along the way. Do you have a goal weight you’re shooting for? A race you’re training for? Input your own goal, and you can own it. When you’re starting to struggle, or don’t want to get off the couch that day, you can use it to remind yourself of your goal. Allow the activity tracker to be a visual cue for you—every time you look at it, you will be reminder of your goal—not theirs. The best part is, when you achieve that goal, you can set another!
Parting Thoughts
Personally, I believe activity trackers are completely changing the way we, as a society, approach exercise. And I think it’s a great piece of technology to help people exercise more. Activity trackers can be very useful in helping people initiate exercising. However, until improvements are made regarding effective goal setting, they should be used as a tool for measuring your progress, and not the be-all and end-all of your goals. Use them for feedback regarding the measurable aspect of your goals; don’t rely on them to set your goals, because unfortunately, that’s not what they are designed to do.
Remember, a goal without a plan won’t get you anywhere. If you want to continue to use the 10,000 step goal, create process goals to help you reach it. Plan to walk at certain times, and put yourself in a position to walk more whenever possible. Park further away when you drive to the store, or, better yet, just walk there! Walk during your lunch break once you’re done eating—it will help your digestion, and help you reach that goal. Create circumstances that will help you reach your goal, and you'll be surprised how much easier it is to get there.
Remember, a goal without a plan won’t get you anywhere. If you want to continue to use the 10,000 step goal, create process goals to help you reach it. Plan to walk at certain times, and put yourself in a position to walk more whenever possible. Park further away when you drive to the store, or, better yet, just walk there! Walk during your lunch break once you’re done eating—it will help your digestion, and help you reach that goal. Create circumstances that will help you reach your goal, and you'll be surprised how much easier it is to get there.
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