Goal Setting for Success: Turn Dreams into Reality

If you live in Los Angeles, you know how ambitious the city can be. It is the city where hopes turn into reality. Yet, goal setting is not just limited to your education or career; it is crucial in your recovery from substance misuse and co-occurring mental health conditions. This is why, at NuView in Los Angeles, we emphasize goal setting as a key step in laying a strong foundation for lasting positive change.

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines goal setting as a specific, time-based behavior that serves as motivation for achieving your goals. Goal setting becomes effective when you acknowledge and understand what you need to achieve for yourself.

Linda Whiteside, Clinical Supervisor at the NuView Treatment Center, says, “Goal setting is the bridge between your expectations and reality. When you have lower expectations, it leads to a poor outcome. When you have higher expectations, it generally leads to an average outcome. This is why goal setting needs to be informed, where you set achievable and realistic goals for yourself.”

There are three types of goals, namely process, performance, and outcome goals.

• Process Goals: Process goals are the processes you define to achieve your outcomes. For instance, eating an antioxidant-rich diet to manage your cravings as well as anxiety or depression symptoms is an example of a process goal.
• Performance Goals: Performance goals are based on your personal metrics. For instance, if you want to begin exercising in recovery, then beginning with 30 minutes of exercise per day is a performance goal.
• Outcome Goals: Outcome goals are the sum of process and performance goals. For instance, your lasting recovery will be an outcome goal.

The best strategy to set goals must be S.M.A.R.T. What this means is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Bound.

S.M.A.R.T goals were first introduced by George T. Doran in 1981, and to elaborate on them, this is what they look like:

Here is what it can look like in action:

• Prioritize One Goal: Prioritize one goal rather than flitting from one goal to the next, so that you are not pulled in different directions. When you prioritize one goal at a time, you will have a singular, clear-cut focus.
• Goal Chaining: Goal chaining is an interesting concept that allows you to stick to the goals you set. It is when you chain your goals with habits that you have already incorporated into your life. It makes it easier for you to follow through with your goals.
• Set an Upper Limit: Generally, we set lower limits when we engage in goal setting. For instance, if you aim for one recovery activity per week, it is the lower limit. Instead, if you set an upper limit goal of two recovery activities (one therapy session and one peer support meeting) per week, it makes the goal seem more achievable.
• Create a Conducive Environment: You need to create an environment that is conducive to your goals. For instance, if the goal is to cut down on drinking, then having alcohol bottles lying around is not exactly conducive to the goal. Instead, removing any kind of alcohol and related paraphernalia from the vicinity will make it difficult to acquire them and, over time, curb the desire as well.
• Track Goals: Sticking to your goals becomes easy when you are able to track them. For instance, if your goal is to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life, make a note of how many minutes you are able to engage in mindfulness every day and for how many days you are able to do it at a stretch. This creates a positive mindset and allows you to stay on track.

Goal setting is a powerful tool. It is the stepping stone you need to achieve your goals and motivates you to proactively develop strategies for reaching them. Moreover, setting goals does not serve as a motivation; it affects behavior and lifestyle as well.

Goal setting also positively impacts your self-esteem, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction.

Linda Whiteside says, “We all have goals. But what really makes a difference in having these goals and achieving them is goal setting. It becomes the motivating factor in your life - to go out there and give your best.”

The key to your success is when you set yourself up for consistent goal achievement. Some of the steps you can take toward the same are:

• Have a clear vision that directs you to take consistent action. This means you set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals as well as a concrete plan to achieve them.
• Goals must be long-term, and you need to review these goals consistently. For instance, a weekly or monthly review provides sufficient time to follow through on goals and track progress.
• Avoid seeking instant gratification, as this takes the focus away from long-term planning and success.
• Have a positive mindset; focus on progress, celebrate wins, and adjust plans wherever required.
• If you miss out in some way, afford yourself some grace. Do not see them as failures but rather as the challenges you need to overcome to experience success.

Reputed treatment centers in Los Angeles, like NuView, incorporate goal setting into your recovery through therapy and other services. For instance, cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, incorporates goal setting as one of the objectives - toward recovery and well-being.

Similarly, we also incorporate goal setting into relapse prevention and aftercare planning, so that you are able to create and maintain a sustainable change.

We also connect you with 12-Step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and non-12-Step groups like SMART Recovery that use goal setting as one of the tools to motivate members toward recovery.

Linda Whiteside informs, “At NuView’s facility in Los Angeles, we have observed that intentional goal setting with S.M.A.R.T goals as the foundation helps our clients to do 80% better in achieving their goals toward recovery and well-being.”

Goal setting requires more than putting pen to paper and jotting them down - it requires drive and action. At NuView, we sit down with you to understand your story so far and what your hopes and dreams are to craft specific goal-setting strategies that are relevant to your recovery journey and beyond!

Please connect with us at (323) 307-7997 to learn more about our recovery programs today!

1. What is the step-by-step process to set S.M.A.R.T goals in recovery?

To set S.M.A.R.T goals in recovery, you can follow these steps:

• Visualize your desired outcome.
• Create an action plan.
• Set deadlines.
• Analyze the resources you have - the ones you can use.
• Implement the plan of action.
• Track the progress and sustain the outcomes.

2. Can goal setting prevent relapse during recovery?

Yes, clear and realistic goals provide structure, reduce impulsive behaviors, and help you respond mindfully to triggers rather than reacting emotionally.

3. How often should recovery goals be adjusted or updated?

Recovery goals should be reviewed regularly - typically weekly or monthly - to reflect progress, changing needs, and new challenges as recovery evolves.

4. How to overcome obstacles in goal setting?

By identifying and changing how you approach the obstacles between you and your goals, you can overcome these obstacles. You can also reach out to your social support system for motivation and support.

5. What happens if I do not meet a recovery goal?

Missing a goal is not failure. It is feedback that helps you have a second look at your expectations, adjust strategies, and continue moving forward without shame.