Sleighing your goals
- Noreen Richard
- 20 hours ago
- 3 min read
This week in my WW (Weight Watchers) world, we talked about goals—specifically the difference between outcome goals and behavioral goals. As I reflected on the discussion, I found myself weaving together what I know about SMART goals, what I’m learning about wellbeing, and what it means to live a valued life. My perspective is widening: how I approach goals, how I carry them out, and how I might hold them more gently through December. Stepping away from old all-or-nothing patterns, I’m learning what balance can look like.
I picture myself on a teeter-totter, holding my values, aspirations, and desire to move through the world with a lens of love. Without outcome goals or intentional behavioral actions, everything floats without direction. But when I anchor one end with my values—and the other with the daily behaviors that support them—I begin to find steadiness. Dr. Adriana Wilson’s “Five Things We Need to Be Well,” combined with the WW pillars, form the framework that keeps me grounded and balanced.
Dr. Wilson’s model describes five foundations of wellbeing: Safety, Tribe/Team, Aim and Ability, Meaning, and Play. Safety allows the nervous system to settle. Tribe/Team reflects connection and community. Aim and Ability give us direction and confidence. Meaning reminds us that our experiences matter, while Play brings curiosity and joy. Together, these elements support resilience and sustained wellbeing.
WW is rooted in four pillars of long-term healthy living: Food, Activity, Mindset, and Sleep. Food encourages balanced, satisfying choices without rigidity. Activity supports strength, energy, and confidence. Mindset helps us understand habits, navigate triggers, and practice self-compassion. Sleep allows the body and mind to recover and has always been my greatest source of stability. And alongside these four pillars sits an essential fifth one: community—the connection and encouragement found through WW and Inspired Living Medical.
Outcome goals, as we explored in the workshop, are the destination. They give us direction, motivation, and a vision of where we’re heading. They answer one simple question: What do you want? But outcome goals are also limited because they’re not fully within our control. Many factors—timing, energy, health, life circumstances—shape how quickly or smoothly we move toward them.
Behavioral goals, by contrast, are the daily actions that keep us moving even when things feel uncertain. They sit firmly within our control: tracking meals, walking for 20 minutes, strength training twice a week, journaling before bed, pausing to breathe before reacting. Each time we follow through, we reinforce our identity as someone who shows up for themselves. This is where SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—become powerful. They turn intention into action and give us a clear, manageable roadmap.
With that in mind, I’ve set both outcome and behavioral SMART goals across the WW pillars—plus the vital pillar of community—for December 2025.
Sleep: Outcome goal: Achieve a sleep score of 70 or higher on 25 days. Behavioral goals: Allow an eight-hour sleep window and complete bedtime prep by 9:30 p.m.
Activity: Outcome goal: Be intentionally active for 25 days. Behavioral goals: Row 125 km total (5 km on each of those 25 days), walk 30 minutes for 25 days, and complete at least 5 strength-training sessions.
Mindset: Outcome goal: Check in daily with my emotional state—cold state (new brain) or hot state (old brain). Behavioral goal: Pause twice a day, once in the morning before my good-morning text to myself and once in the evening as I reflect on the day.
Food: Outcome goal: Eat three balanced meals on 25 days. Behavioral goals: Track daily and pre-plan meals to increase success.
Community: Outcome goal: Participate in my monthly Inspired Living Medical group and join at least one WW online workshop each day it’s offered. Behavioral goal: Stay connected with my in-person WW community weekly whenever sessions are open.
These goals feel aligned, manageable, and rooted in my core value of living through a lens of love and mattering.
As December unfolds, the question becomes: What are your outcome goals—and what behavioral goals will help you find balance so you’re not stranded on just one end of the teeter-totter?
Resources 5 Things We Need to Be Well: Live Your Epic Life
Dr. Wilson’s book is available at:https://www.amazon.ca/Things-We-Need-Be-Well/dp/1980822026
5 Things we need to be well video:
Resources to help you explore S.M.A.R.T goals.
Free SMART Goals Guide for Coaches: https://www.thecoachingtoolscompany.com/smart-goals-complete-guide-for-coaches-with-pdf/
You tube video's
SMART Goals-Quick overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-SvuFIQjK8
Setting SMART Goals: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Iyl_v-O_Cds
SMART Goals Quick Overview with 21 SMART Goals Examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elJcG83m-qg
Ted Talks:
Setting Goals that Matter:
Why SMART Goals are only half smart?