“Smart” Steps For Change
From my own transformation in body and mind, I have realized that massive change over time happens from taking smart, small steps each and every day.
If you’ve been following me, you know that I am all about the “smart” small steps that will lead to change over time. Taking small steps in my physical, emotional, and intellectual health created massive momentum for me to achieve goals that were deeply personal to me for a number of reasons. And to this day, I continue to take small steps that will lead me to really big changes that I desire in other areas of my life too.
What’s crazy is that I didn’t do something drastic, or huge, to see these really big changes in my life. Instead, I focused on doing small things in a “smart” way, and I did them with more intention and meaning.
So, what does it mean to take “smart” steps?
You may have heard people refer to SMART Goals when it comes to setting professional or personal goals. During my years as an educator, we were encouraged to create SMART Goals with our students and for our courses. Companies also establish SMART goals in order to provide direction. The SMART Goals acronym stands for:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-Based
While there is merit in using this framework, I personally believe that being “smart” with small, personal steps requires a change in perspective that’s more personal and intentional so that you will actually achieve what you desire.
Being “smart” with the small steps for your life, means that those steps are:
Sustainable
Meaningful
Actionable
Reliable
Timely
Sustainable: For me, the steps I take actually need to lead me to where I need to go. They aren’t huge tasks that seem out of reach; instead, they are very small things that I can sustainably do day after day, over a long period of time. They are so small, in fact, that at the moment they don’t seem like they will make much of a difference, but overtime, they do.
Meaningful: I am “smart” when I decide what the steps include so that they are actually meaningful to me. Whether it’s a daily walk, journaling, getting in a workout, sitting outside to watch a sunset, spending uninterrupted time with my husband or kids…it has to be meaningful. Knowing why this is important to me further encourages me to follow through with my intentions. A “smart” step is highly personal for each individual. What’s “smart” for me, might not be “smart” for you.
Actionable: My smart steps are things I can take action on in the immediate future, so they are actionable. I don’t have to wait for certain things to occur, the environment to be just right, or someone else to fulfill their responsibilities for me to actually take action. I personally take the next step forward.
Reliable: Smart steps also include things that are reliable, which means I personally can control them and there is consistency over time. These steps are not out of reach, and instead I can achieve them consistently over time. This means that I have almost immediate access to those steps so I know I can actually accomplish them.
Timely: And finally, my smart steps are timely based on my present life, environment, and the goals I have for myself. Whatever step I take, it has to make sense for my present moment. This timeliness fluctuates based on the season of life I am in, so I have to have awareness about my environment, relationships, and other factors that may affect my present life.
SMART Goals VS. “Smart” Steps
Let’s look at an example using the popular SMART Goal Framework for achieving the personal goal of getting in shape (Leonard & Watts, 2022; Mindtools.com) next to my “smart” steps for change:
Personal Goal: “I’m going to get in shape.”
SMART Goal: Specific: What will I achieve? What will I do?
“I am going to get at least 30 minutes of exercise three days a week and cut my caloric intake by 25%.
“Smart” Step: Sustainable: What can I do that will be sustainable to achieve this goal?
“I can aim to get 8k steps per day. I can incorporate stretching and weight training into my routine 3 days/week. I can eat more protein.”
SMART Goal: Measurable: What data will I use to decide whether I’ve met the goal?
“My goal is to lose 15 pounds within the next three months.
“Smart” Step: Meaningful: Why is this meaningful to me?
“My goal is to feel healthier so that I have more energy for my daily life, my family, and my career. If I feel good, then I will be able to be more myself in the different environments I am in.”
SMART Goal: Achievable: Am I sure I can do this? Do I have the right skills and resources?
“I already have a rowing machine and I can buy more fresh, nutritious food for myself and my family.”
“Smart” Step: Actionable: What can I do immediately to take action?
“I can go on a walk every morning and every night. I can schedule 2 workouts on my calendar every week. I can make sure my 3 meals have at least 30 grams of protein with additional protein snacks.”
SMART Goal: Relevant: Does the goal align with those of myself, my team, or my organization? How will the result matter?
“I want to live a healthier lifestyle so that I feel better physically and mentally in my daily life.”
“Smart” Step: Reliable: Do I personally have control over this step? What is within my control? What can I do to make sure I can do this consistently over time?
“I have control over all of these actions. I can schedule my walks and workouts on my calendar. I can prepare a grocery list so that I have protein on hand to make for my meals. I have multiple options on hand for protein snacks.”
SMART Goal: Time-bound: What is the deadline for accomplishing the goal?
“I will go to the grocery store tomorrow after work and buy healthy food for the week. I will use my rowing machine for 30 minutes before cooking dinner. I will use the rower three times per week.”
“Smart” Step: Timely: How is this step timely for my present life, environment, relationships, stress level, season that I’m in?
“These steps are timely because I can schedule time for 2 walks per day. I can wake up earlier to add in 2 days for my workouts. I already go to the grocery store, so I just need to be prepared with my grocery list and mindful about preparing my protein sources that week.
By first thinking about the sustainability of my smart steps, I am confident that I can achieve them. Then, by reflecting on the meaning--the why-- I actively attach a purpose to my steps. The action allows me to be intentional and purposeful with how I am going to achieve what I want to achieve. Ensuring that the smart steps are reliable emphases that this is possible to accomplish what I set out to accomplish and be consistent over time. And finally, my smart steps are timely for my current life versus creating goals that are too large, not applicable to my present life and situation, or things that I will struggle to achieve.
While there are overlaps in these concepts, thinking about taking “smart” steps in this way has allowed me to focus on why these steps are important for me, my present life, and my future self. They are sustainable, meaningful, actionable, reliable, and timely. They lead me to achieving what I desire for my life.
Reflect & Adjust
Being “smart” also means that I reflect, adjust, adapt, and am flexible over time. I am not hard on myself for not accomplishing a certain task that I set out to complete; instead, if I find something isn’t working the way I intend, I reflect about the sustainability, meaning, action, reliability, and timeliness in regards to my current day, week, and month. I reflect on these five areas to see if there is something that isn’t quite right, and then I adjust my smart steps to fit more appropriately with my current situation and what I hope to achieve.
Take for example, the action of scheduling 2 workouts per week on my calendar. Let’s say I schedule them for the afternoon, but after a week I find that my meetings and to-do list continue to grow throughout the day and I end up working right through my scheduled work out that I blocked on my calendar. First, I ask myself if doing 2 workouts per week are actually necessary for accomplishing my personal goal of “getting in shape.” Once I determine that they are necessary, then I reflect on what is causing me to skip my workouts. I then evaluate the time that I originally scheduled them and determine that by doing them earlier in the day--either right when I wake up, or after my morning walk--will allow me to get them done before I get started with my work day. I try this schedule out and realize that by changing the time of my workout, I can accomplish the “smart” step of working out 2 days per week. I don’t “throw in the towel” and skip the workouts because “I don’t have time”; instead, I reflect and adjust and make them work for my current day, week, and season of life.
Here’s another example: you really want to become more mindful throughout your day, practice setting intentions, and expressing gratitude. You love my idea of my “10 Minute Power Practice,” but after you tried it for a few days you realize that the morning just isn’t the ideal time for you-- your kids are already awake, you are distracted by your family’s morning routine, the dog wants your attention, and you just can’t focus on the mindful practice. Instead of saying “this won’t work for my life,” try waking up 10 minutes earlier than the rest of your household and start a routine that’s just for you. Or, maybe you can end your day doing this practice when the house is quiet, everyone is asleep, and you are getting ready for bed. Reflect and adjust.
If you’ve determined that something is important and meaningful for creating necessary change in your life, but that you can’t seem to get in a groove, reflect and adjust to determine a better fit… be “smart” about it. If it works, awesome. If it’s not quite right, keep trying. I find that certain weeks and months are easier than others to continue routines I’ve established that lead me toward goals I have for myself. When I start to find that something isn’t working the way it was, or that I just can’t get into a groove, I adjust and try something else.
Applying Smart Steps To Your Journey
By taking “smart” steps in your life, it means you are intelligent about achieving changes you truly want for your wellness. There are 8 dimensions of wellness that you can work to improve using my “smart” step strategy: your physical, mental, and emotional health, your career, relationships, environments, finances, and spirituality. You can focus on any number of smart steps for those 8 dimensions of well-being to achieve small changes that will lead to powerful results over time.
My best advice is to start small. Think of 1-3 things you want to change and how you can be “smart” about accomplishing them. Once you build in routines for these 1-3 changes, you will notice that they will become more of a habit. At that point, you can move on to the next changes you want to make.
Remember, small steps lead to big impact. Be patient, be intentional, focus on being “smart,” and watch the transformation happen right before your own eyes.
Photo credit Nicole LeBris
