Sustainability requires behavioral changes. Think about using goals in your life to make those changes.

A common framework for goal setting is the SMART goal. Each letter in the acronym represents a component of a good goal.

Specific: A goal should help you focus on something specific. Instead of setting a goal for “fully sustainable” you can break it down into components. This is an opportunity to focus on more than using the recycling bin. Look at your total wellbeing and pick something specific that would make you happy. Perhaps a goal to eat locally sourced ingredients. There could be many side benefits from this directly to you like nutrition, better physical health, and maybe even some local relationships with small business owners.

Measurable: Once you have a specific goal you can establish a way to measure it. The measure should be easy to use; otherwise, you won’t use it. Following the earlier goal to eat locally-sourced food, you might commit to one meal per week. You can always grow from there.

Achievable: New Year’s Resolutions are notoriously difficult to keep. One of the top reasons is that they are so distant that we give up. Make your goals achievable so that they stretch you but not break you. If you are just starting your venture into sustainability, don’t try “convert to all alternative fuels” as your initial goal. Work up to it and enjoy the journey.

Relevant: Your sustainability goals should be relevant to everything else in your wellbeing. It makes no sense to sacrifice your overall wellbeing for a single goal. You are a total person and your goals should support you… Mind, Body, and Spirit.

Timely: Put a time frame around your goals to which you can commit daily. A goal that is months or years into the future is more like a wish. Set your sustainability goals for something you will do daily or at least weekly.