How To Make Goals More Attainable

Each year, millions of Americans make a plan — or at least a goal — to get healthier, lose weight, save more money, or finally complete some difficult tasks we’ve been putting off for a while. Setting a goal is a great way to reflect on some of the things we want to improve as a way of changing our lives for the better while giving ourselves a pat on the back for the things we’ve accomplished. The question is: How many of us keep working toward these goals? Unfortunately, despite making plans (typically early each year), most people are never fully able to accomplish the goals they set for themselves. This happens for a variety of reasons: Sometimes they drop out because the goals they set are too vague, they try to make drastic changes too quickly without being able to sustain them over time, or they may doubt themselves too much, spend too much time thinking instead of doing, and at times base their goals on what other people want rather than what they want for themselves.

One secret to sticking with goals is making getting help with a beneficial change. Take, for example, liposuction. Chicago’s Dr. Lawrence Iteld explains that seeing a slimmer silhouette in the mirror — even if the reduction came from plastic surgery as opposed to diet and exercise — can trigger a positive feedback loop that encourages further improvement. In other words, seeing a change can convince your mind and body that efforts to change are working, so they should be maintained.

Here’s a closer look at some ideas for keeping up with goals, plans, and resolutions:

Choose a Very Specific, Achievable Goal

Instead of choosing an ambiguous goal like “get in shape,” pick a very exact, measurable goal that’s realistic, such as wanting to lose a specific number of pounds. Then, make plans for how you’re going to accomplish that.

Don’t Stop Working on Your Goals

Continue working toward your goal throughout the year. One of the issues with New Year’s resolutions is that many of us start off feeling motivated in January but start to lose the passion and inspiration we had by the time spring comes around, or even before the month is over! If you’re facing setbacks, such as not having much time, try to be flexible. If you’re feeling unmotivated, keeping a journal where you write about your goals and steps you are taking to achieve them can be helpful.

Start Small

Even though you might be in a rush to get dramatic results, the last thing you want is to do too much too quickly. For instance, try to avoid an extreme low-calorie diet or overworking yourself at the gym.

Plastic Surgery

Though it might sound like a stretch, having cosmetic surgery can often motivate patients to achieve success in other areas of their lives. It’s simple: We all want to put our best face and body forward, and when we know we look good, we tend to have a better performance at work and in social situations. We also think more positively. On the other hand, when we’re feeling down (which is common as winter drags on), we’re less likely to put forth a confident attitude and go after our goals.

Many (if not most) resolutions are focused on becoming fitter or healthier, and we all want our exterior to reflect the best aspects of ourselves. Plastic surgery, combined with a healthy lifestyle, can help you get into your best physical shape. For example, even after working out and getting close to our goal weight, most of us still have some resistant deposits of extra fat on certain areas because of hormones, genetics, or aging that won’t seem to budge no matter what we do.

Fat reduction procedures are ideal for minimizing these areas. The cooler months represent a popular time to try out surgical or non-surgical body contouring. It takes several months to see the results from either CoolSculpting® or liposuction, so people often get these done in advance so that they’ll be able to show off a slimmer body shape when the summer arrives. Breast procedures such as breast augmentation and breast reduction are also common during this time.

Keep in mind that every day is a good day for resolutions, to make a commitment to improve oneself. And there are so many ways to do just that.

For more, contact board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Lawrence Iteld and the team at Iteld Plastic Surgery. Reach out by calling 312.757.4505 or submit a contact form if you want to start planning an aesthetic treatment.