Goal Setting
September 12, 2014
Goal setting is a great way to take charge of your own recovery and ensure you continue to progress. Recovery after stroke is often life long and does not simply end once you are discharged from hospital or complete your rehabilitation phase with therapists. However often it is difficult to see a path from where you are now to where you want to be. This might leave you feeling overwhelmed and helpless.
Setting goals can break things down into manageable chunks. It is an important part of motivation after a stroke, to push yourself to be the best that you can be. The great thing is that achieving goals gives rise to new goals, sparking an upward spiral of recovery.
What is goal setting?
You may hear therapists in hospital or outpatient rehabilitation talk about goals. You might be thinking, ‘Why do they keep asking me what my goals are? Isn’t my goal just to get better?’
Well… yes, but let’s think about breaking this down – specific goals can be a guide to recovery, giving you a roadmap to where you want to be.
Okay, this sounds good. Now how do I set goals for myself?
Therapists often talk about ‘short-term goals’ and ‘long-term goals’. Think of it this way – short-term goals are the stepping stones that lead to a long-term goal. Short-term goals are the things you need to achieve along the way in order to achieve that bigger (and often daunting!) long term goal.
Try to set ‘SMART’ goals – ‘SMART’ is a useful acronym to help guide you in setting your own goals. You might come across different variations of this acronym:
S: Specific – have well defined goals
M: Measurable – include some form of measurement in your goal so that you can gauge your progress
A: Achievable - Aim high, but be realistic. Your goals should be individual to you so think about what you think is achievable for you
R: Relevant – Your goals should be relevant and meaningful to you and your life
T: Time-targeted – Set a timeframe for your goal. If you have a deadline, you are much more likely to put in the work to achieve it
Here’s a basic example:
A general goal might be: ‘I want to be more active’
Turned into a SMART goal this might become: ‘I will go for a walk once around the block four to five times each week for the next month’.
Goal-setting Tips
Discuss your goals with a friend or family member – someone you trust that can hold you accountable to your goals and motivate you
Write your goals down or get someone to write down your goals for you. There is always something powerful and motivating about putting your thoughts and intentions in writing.
Don’t go crazy! Only set a few goals to work on at once – perhaps focus on 3-5 top goals.
Use a diary to keep track of your progress from day to day or week to week as you work towards your goals
Never give up! Celebrate your achievements along the way, no matter how small you think they are – every goal achieved is a step in the right direction
If you would like to discuss goal setting or your own goals further, feel free to speak with us on StrokeLine (Phone 1800 787 653).
By Katherine David StrokeLine team (Physiotherapist)
Setting goals can break things down into manageable chunks. It is an important part of motivation after a stroke, to push yourself to be the best that you can be. The great thing is that achieving goals gives rise to new goals, sparking an upward spiral of recovery.
What is goal setting?
You may hear therapists in hospital or outpatient rehabilitation talk about goals. You might be thinking, ‘Why do they keep asking me what my goals are? Isn’t my goal just to get better?’
Well… yes, but let’s think about breaking this down – specific goals can be a guide to recovery, giving you a roadmap to where you want to be.
Okay, this sounds good. Now how do I set goals for myself?
Therapists often talk about ‘short-term goals’ and ‘long-term goals’. Think of it this way – short-term goals are the stepping stones that lead to a long-term goal. Short-term goals are the things you need to achieve along the way in order to achieve that bigger (and often daunting!) long term goal.
Try to set ‘SMART’ goals – ‘SMART’ is a useful acronym to help guide you in setting your own goals. You might come across different variations of this acronym:
S: Specific – have well defined goals
M: Measurable – include some form of measurement in your goal so that you can gauge your progress
A: Achievable - Aim high, but be realistic. Your goals should be individual to you so think about what you think is achievable for you
R: Relevant – Your goals should be relevant and meaningful to you and your life
T: Time-targeted – Set a timeframe for your goal. If you have a deadline, you are much more likely to put in the work to achieve it
Here’s a basic example:
A general goal might be: ‘I want to be more active’
Turned into a SMART goal this might become: ‘I will go for a walk once around the block four to five times each week for the next month’.
Goal-setting Tips
Discuss your goals with a friend or family member – someone you trust that can hold you accountable to your goals and motivate you
Write your goals down or get someone to write down your goals for you. There is always something powerful and motivating about putting your thoughts and intentions in writing.
Don’t go crazy! Only set a few goals to work on at once – perhaps focus on 3-5 top goals.
Use a diary to keep track of your progress from day to day or week to week as you work towards your goals
Never give up! Celebrate your achievements along the way, no matter how small you think they are – every goal achieved is a step in the right direction
If you would like to discuss goal setting or your own goals further, feel free to speak with us on StrokeLine (Phone 1800 787 653).
By Katherine David StrokeLine team (Physiotherapist)