{"id":37434,"date":"2015-12-16T23:14:07","date_gmt":"2015-12-17T07:14:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=37434"},"modified":"2015-12-21T12:39:55","modified_gmt":"2015-12-21T20:39:55","slug":"6-strategies-avoid-destination-deflation-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/6-strategies-avoid-destination-deflation-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Strategies to Avoid \u201cDestination Deflation\u201d in 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

<\/p>\n

How many times have you achieved a goal \u2014 running a 5k, dropping 5lbs pounds for a social event, studying hard to ace an exam or presentation \u2014 only to abandon those same behaviors that got you to the finish line in the first place? <\/span><\/p>\n

Finish lines are a tricky business. On the one hand, it\u2019s tough to focus and achieve without a target in sight; definitive goals can inspire action and persistence and, once achieved, send confidence soaring.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, eyeing a destination point can undermine lasting behavior change. After all, that finish line signals \u201cYou did It!\u201d Crossing it can, quite suddenly, leave you feeling aimless. And if the journey was unenjoyable, stressful, or all-consuming, you may, out of sheer relief, relax all the rules and inch back toward your old habits. <\/span><\/p>\n

How can you avoid \u201cdestination deflation\u201d but still set goals for 2016 that are motivating and action-oriented?<\/b><\/p>\n

When drafting your 2016 goals, try choosing different words; a strategy known as <\/span>reframing<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, you might reframe \u201cI want to drop three dress sizes for my high school reunion\u201d as \u201cI want to be a fit, healthy, and vibrant person.\u201d \u00a0Or you could reframe \u201cI want to get a promotion at work\u201d to \u201cI want to be a more charismatic, collaborative manager.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The idea is to shift your thinking away from goals that have a defined endpoint and toward goals that are concrete but have no finish line \u2014\u00a0in other words away from \u201cdoing\u201d goals and toward \u201cbeing\u201d goals. <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a small change with huge implications. Reframing in this way forces you to ask yourself: <\/span>Do I want to reach my full potential, or do I really just care about that promotion?<\/span><\/i> The shift in perspective may even spark additional \u201cbeing goals\u201d that you hadn\u2019t considered previously.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wendy Lubell<\/span><\/a>, a fitness expert and wellness coach in Washington, DC, used the reframing strategy with a workaholic client in her fifties who \u201cfelt fat and miserable\u201d and wanted to lose the 10 pounds she\u2019d gained since her twenties. \u201cShe\u2019d get up at 5 a.m. to run hard on the treadmill before her high-powered job, and she didn\u2019t sleep enough,\u201d says Wendy. \u201cShe thought yoga and stretching were a waste of time, and she wouldn\u2019t be caught dead walking in the neighborhood \u2014 she thought it was wimpy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Wendy prompted her client to consider why she felt losing 10 pounds was so important. \u201cWhy do you want to fit into those jeans?\u201d she asked. \u201cWhat is it that you\u2019re trying to feel? How do you want your life to be?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Eventually, the client realized it wasn\u2019t a 10-pound weight loss she was chasing; it was a more balanced life. She agreed to try walking outdoors and was surprised to find it relaxing. \u201cBreathing fresh air and getting sunlight, she was able to get into a meditative state,\u201d says Wendy. \u201cShe\u2019s so much happier now and recognizes all the pressure she put on herself.\u201d The client lost weight but stopped obsessing about the scale. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some strategies you can use to choose goals for 2016 that inspire action while also keeping the big picture in view. <\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Look beyond the finish line.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Ask, \u201cWhere do I see myself after the reunion?\u201d or \u201cWhat happens after I get that promotion?\u201d It\u2019s absolutely important to set realistic goals and behaviors to reach your goals but don\u2019t neglect to look further down the road. <\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Find your intrinsic motivation.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      You may be tempted to revert to your old habits once you reach your finish line, so ask yourself what you enjoy most when you\u2019re in pursuit of a goal and try to incorporate that into a less ambitious, maintenance-oriented goal. For instance, if you enjoy the camaraderie of your Sunday morning training group, look for a post-race source for camaraderie, like a 3 mile Sunday run with a few friends, followed by coffee. <\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Ask yourself \u201cwhy\u201d?<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        If you\u2019re set on getting that promotion at work, ask yourself <\/span>why<\/b> and keep asking until you get to the real, underlying emotional driver behind your goal. Is it more money that you want or is it actually more respect? Once you understand that, you may realize that the goal you have in mind won\u2019t satisfy your need. <\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Set a behavioral goal to accompany your destination goal.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          For example, if you\u2019re training for a century bike ride, aim to eat a healthier breakfast every day or improve your flexibility by taking yoga twice a week. If those new behaviors become habitual, you\u2019re more likely to stick with them after the event is over – even if your training plan screeches to a halt.<\/span><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Don\u2019t throw your work-family-leisure time out of balance.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            It\u2019s especially tough to get going again if the pursuit of a particular goal has dominated your life for months. Make sure you keep space for regular life so when you achieve your goal, you\u2019re not faced with a huge void. <\/span><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Ditch the word \u201cgoal\u201d<\/b>\u2014 <\/span>at least for a few months.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              This might seem like a radical step to take. We\u2019re all so programmed to set goals and achieve them. But constantly setting goals, even reasonable ones, suggests that success and contentment are in your future, not your present. Persistent pressure to achieve can drain the joy out of self-improvement. Taking a break from goals may, ironically, be just what you need to make progress.<\/span><\/p>\n

              Here\u2019s the bottom line \u2014 maintaining healthy and productive habits after achieving a goal depends largely on your definition of success. If you define success as feeling strong and vibrant you will maintain your good habits far more readily than if you consider \u201csuccess\u201d to mean losing 20 pounds.<\/span><\/p>\n

              ——<\/span><\/p>\n

              Sharen Ross<\/b> is the co-founder of <\/span>www.mazlo.me<\/span><\/a>. Mazlo\u2019s two-week programs help people <\/span>unlock their potential for personal and professional growth with just ten minutes a day of real-life practice supported by two weeks of personalized 1:1 coaching. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              How many times have you achieved a goal \u2014 running a 5k, dropping 5lbs pounds for a social event, studying hard to ace an exam or presentation \u2014 only to abandon those same behaviors that got you to the finish line in the first place? Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":37559,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[9,6],"tags":[4819,679,4820,66,4629],"yoast_head":"\n6 Strategies to Avoid \u201cDestination Deflation\u201d in 2016<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here are six strategies to make sure you keep those healthy habits far into the New Year and beyond.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/6-strategies-avoid-destination-deflation-2016\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta 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