January 4, 2018

Do you know the difference between a SMART Goal and a bad VAPID Goal? A SMART Goal can build your confidence and self-esteem in no time, while a bad VAPID Goal can quickly backfire--- making you feel worse than before.

Good SMART Goals all follow a basic formula, they must be:

  • Specific
  • Measured
  • Actionable
  • Responsible
  • Time-bounded

SMART goals should tell you exactly when, where, and how to do something. That something should be what you are actually able to do. For example, "I will do 50 squats today" is not exactly an actionable or responsible goal for your 90 year old grandmother. (Unless she's totally ripped. Go grandma!) If you're just starting out with a new workout or routine, it's important to ease into it. A smarter goal may be, "I will do 5-10 squats this morning and add 1-2 squats per day."

VAPID goals follow the same formula as SMART Goals but are impossible to complete and are:

  • Vague
  • Amorphous
  • Pie-in-the-sky
  • Irrelevant
  • Delayed

Perhaps the most infamous example of a VAPID goal is the common New Year's Eve Resolution, "I will lose weight." Okay, but how? How will you act out this plan? By diet? Exercise? When? In one month? Six? How much weight do you need to lose before the VAPID goal is satisfied? VAPID goals are insidious because by their very nature they don't give you the resources to accomplish the goal. VAPID goals are impossible to accomplish.

Therefore, it's important to set SMART goals, with special emphasis on the RT--- hold yourself Responsible for your Time-Bounded commitment. If you don't hold yourself accountable, your SMART goal will just turn into a VAPID one.

Most importantly, once you've completed your goal reward yourself! Bask in those endorphins! You've earned it!

Need something to keep you cool while you work on making those dreams a reality? We have just the invisible cooling vest for you!