Set a SMART Goal

Quick Win

Choose a new habit based on one of the six pillars of brain health. Give the practice staying power by making your goal specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.

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• Specific and measurable. Steer clear of vague goals like “I want to get in shape” in favor of specific plans like “I’m going to play pickleball twice a week.” Track your progress on a calendar.
  
• Attainable. Instead of pledging to do the unachievable, like never eating unhealthy food again, set a plan you can pull off: I’ll eat veggies or fruit with every meal.
• Relevant and time-bound. Align the goal with your long-term objectives: If you want to expand your social network, your goal could be hosting a monthly dinner. And give yourself a deadline: I’ll train four days a week to run a 5K in three months.

Why

Setting strategic goals may help you start healthy habits that support brain health, such as getting enough sleep, eating a nutritious diet, managing stress and exercising regularly. Goal setting using the SMART method, as part of a coaching program, helped 41 adults in their 50s through 70s with kidney disease improve overall diet quality, eat more fruits and vegetables, and increase fiber intake over the course of three months, according to a 2021 report in Frontiers in Nutrition.