As we know from working with participants, if we’re expecting behavior change, we want to help them clearly identify what the next steps will be. Summarizing what you’ve talked about and then helping to identify one area to focus on can help them make improvements, while making them feel that you’re “in this together”.
Mutually agreeing to a SMART goal is a great way to do this. SMART stands for:
• Specific – A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general one
• Measurable - Goals with measurable progress are easier to show change
• Achievable – A goal should be challenging but within reach
• Realistic – The goal should not depend on things outside of one’s control
• Timely – Determining an endpoint for the goal encourages work towards it
I will eat at least one piece of whole fruit, six days a week for the next four weeks.