Goal setting

For the past several months I have been writing about the concept of “Successful Aging”, beginning with a brief overview of 9 “Habits of Successful Aging”. My subsequent posts have described and explained these habits in greater detail and suggested some avenues and options to more successfully include them in your lifestyle. This post's topic for discussion is “Be Positive”.

Having recently returned from the excellent International Council on Active Aging Annual Conference in San Diego, I have been thinking about and talking even more than usual about lifestyle 'behavior' and how it relates to independence and quality of life in our 'Second Fifty. Here's the result of all that pondering! Back in 2004 the then Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Richard Cardoma was quoted as saying

When we want to ‘make a difference’ in our lives (get more active, get fit, lose weight, reduce stress etc), we go to an ‘expert’ for advice, guidance and, often, motivation. After all, an expert is usually someone who is highly trained and highly knowledgeable. This means that they know what to do. More importantly they know what YOU should do, what you ought to do (and of course what you have been meaning to do for some time!).

NOTE: The S.M.A.R.T. series is best read from the first post. Start with Get SMART - Look Yourself In The i - and read from there

Relevantly

NOTE: The SMART series of posts is best read from the first post. Start with Get SMART - Look yourself in the i - and read from there.

NOTE: The SMART series is best read from the first post. Start with Get SMART - Look yourself in the i - and read from there.

NOTE: The SMART series is best read from the first post. Start with Get SMART - Look yourself in the i - and read from there.

I don't know how many of you remember the TV series of the late '60's - but this post has nothing at all to do with that show - or the secret agent of the same name (who always seemed to be looking for a secret formula stolen by KAOS). Instead this is about a secret modification to another and similarly named formula for setting goals (Formula S.M.A.R.T.). I am now about to reveal this modification to you .... stand by while I call in to CONTROL on my shoe phone, untwirl the combination of this safe and de-activate the alarms.