--- title: "Find the \"Why\" Behind Your Goals | PALM Health - St. Louis" description: It’s that time of year when many people are aiming for a fresh start, making New Year’s resolutions, and setting goals for the year. image: https://blog.palmhealth.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Find-Your-Why-image-scaled.jpg --- Call us at 314-801-8898|[membership@palmhealth.com](mailto:membership@palmhealth.com) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/PALMHealthStl/)[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/palmhealth/)[Twitter](https://twitter.com/PalmHealthSTL)[YouTube](https://youtube.com/c/PALMHealth)[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/palmhealth/)[Blog![Blog](https://www.palmhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/book-icon-2.png)](https://www.palmhealth.com/blog/)[Patient Health Portal![Patient Health Portal](https://www.palmhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AthenaIcon.png)](https://11898.portal.athenahealth.com/)[Wellness Portal![Wellness Portal](https://www.palmhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/MindBodyIcon.png)](https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/mainclass?studioid=334223&tg=&vt=&lvl=&stype=&view=&trn=0&page=&catid=&prodid=&date=8%2f3%2f2018&classid=0&prodGroupId=&sSU=&optForwardingLink=&qParam=&justloggedin=&nLgIn=&pMode=0&loc=1) [![Palm Health](https://blog.palmhealth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/Logo_Website_Sizes_Reg-03.png?width=210&height=89&name=Logo_Website_Sizes_Reg-03.png "Palm Health")](https://www.palmhealth.com/) - 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[Café](https://www.palmhealth.com/cafe/) - [Class Schedule](https://www.palmhealth.com/classes/) - [Blog Articles](https://blog.palmhealth.com/) - [Recipes](https://www.palmhealth.com/blog/recipes/) - [Shop Online](https://shop.palmhealth.com/) - [Videos and Webinars](https://www.youtube.com/c/PALMHealth/) Show submenu for Videos and Webinars - [Past Webinars](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8agVNHlY-uqoQBMDbWOcJHM2BgorLbJ8) - [On-Demand Class Library](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMZAtE70WBo&list=PL8agVNHlY-upRmrFrFa0IHuHPM9WQSMHP) - [Ideas and Inspiration for Well-Being](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8agVNHlY-urefjIyLmIFqrTkRn6vcIcz) - [Wellness Rewards and Loyalty Program](https://www.palmhealth.com/wellness-rewards-and-loyalty-program/) # Find the “Why” Behind Your Goals “New year, new me!” You’ve probably heard this optimistic phrase, and probably even used it at some point. It’s that time of year when many people are aiming for a fresh start, making New Year’s resolutions, and setting goals for the year. Do you want to eat healthier? Exercise more? Start meditating? Improve your relationships? These are all worthwhile goals to pursue. But if you think about your past New Year’s resolutions, how long did those truly last? A week? Maybe two? It’s all too common to set a goal but then allow it to fade out. Oftentimes, the resolutions people set are too vague, and they don’t actually know how to go about achieving them and why they want to. **When you’re setting a goal, it’s critical to think about WHAT the goal is, WHY you want to work towards it in the first place, and HOW you’re planning to go about getting there.** The “what,” “why,” and “how” are the three essential components of any goal you set—and your plan has to take all of these elements into account. Oftentimes the hardest element for people to pinpoint is **why** they want to make a particular change. Finding the “why” behind your goals will help propel you into implementing them and keep you motivated when your enthusiasm starts to lag. Once you identify **what** it is you want to change or achieve, and before you start to establish a plan for **how** to work towards your goal, spend some time reflecting on this “why” component. **Why** do you want to change this aspect of yourself or your life? Pay attention to whether your “why” is externally motivated or internally motivated. Are you setting a goal to start meditating because that’s what everyone else is doing (external pressure), or because you want to learn how to become more introspective and self-aware (internal motivation)? **Your goals should be deeply connected to your personal values and your purpose in life in order to bring you the most fulfillment.** If you are setting goals that are motivated by societal pressure or the external desires of others, it’s likely your resolutions won’t last very long or feel very satisfying. You may be wondering how to connect your goal-setting to your values. Think about some of the values that are the most important to you in the various spheres of your life, such as your personal life, intellectual life, and relationships. Maybe you value generosity, patience, loyalty, trustworthiness, or gratitude. Maybe you admire honesty, individualism, or hard work. **Reflecting on the values you appreciate the most will allow you to identify areas of your life where you may want to improve, or ideals you want to emulate but may not be living up to.** **If the “why” behind your goals isn’t internally motivated by your vision of who you want to be, it will be that much harder to stick to them in the long run.** For example, if your goal is to lose weight because your partner has been nagging you to do so, you’ll probably have trouble seeing it through. But if you want to lose weight because you have a family history of weight-related morbidity and you want to watch your child, grandchild, niece, or nephew grow up, you have a worthwhile reason that is deeply connected to your purpose and values. At the end of the day, this is what will lead to sustained behavioral change and accomplishing your goals. Whether you’re making a resolution for the new year or looking to set a goal in any area of your life, first take some time to reflect on **why** it is important to you and what values your goal is connected to. Having a strong “why” behind your goal will allow you to develop a clearer, more specific idea of **what** it is you want to achieve and help you create the best plan for **how** to get there. *PALM Health is an innovative, whole-person medical and wellness company that helps people reach and maintain well-being. Our experts in medicine and wellness empower people to transform their health, become more resilient, and feel their personal best in mind and body.* [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/) [Follow us on Twitter](https://www.twitter.com/) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/) ### Related Posts [![](https://blog.palmhealth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/blueberries-2278921_1920.jpg?width=352&name=blueberries-2278921_1920.jpg)](https://blog.palmhealth.com/you-are-what-you-eat) ### [You Are What You Eat and Other Secrets to a Long Life](https://blog.palmhealth.com/you-are-what-you-eat) September 10, 2018 [![](https://blog.palmhealth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Allergies-Images-1.jpg?width=352&name=Allergies-Images-1.jpg)](https://blog.palmhealth.com/four-ways-to-relieve-allergies-and-improve-vitality) ### [Four Ways to Relieve Allergies and Improve Vitality](https://blog.palmhealth.com/four-ways-to-relieve-allergies-and-improve-vitality) April 26, 2022 [![](https://blog.palmhealth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/unnamed-3.jpg?width=352&name=unnamed-3.jpg)](https://blog.palmhealth.com/prevention-is-the-best-medicine) ### [Prevention is the Best Medicine: 6 Tips to Prevent Colds and Flu](https://blog.palmhealth.com/prevention-is-the-best-medicine) February 22, 2020 [![](https://blog.palmhealth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/full-vials-of-blood-near-various-medical-equipment-for-4226924-scaled.jpg?width=352&name=full-vials-of-blood-near-various-medical-equipment-for-4226924-scaled.jpg)](https://blog.palmhealth.com/frequently-asked-questions-about-covid-19) ### [Frequently Asked Questions About COVID-19](https://blog.palmhealth.com/frequently-asked-questions-about-covid-19) July 13, 2020 #### PALM HEALTH - 9160 Clayton Road Ladue, Missouri 63124 - [1.314.801.8898](tel:+1-314-801-8898) - [membership@palmhealth.com](mailto:membership@palmhealth.com) #### WHAT’S HAPPENING - [Events](https://www.palmhealth.com/events/) - [News](https://www.palmhealth.com/news/) - [Promotions](https://www.palmhealth.com/promotions/) - [Shop Online](https://shop.palmhealth.com/) #### HOURS OF OPERATION - Monday – Friday: 6:00am – 7:00pm Saturday: 8:00am – 6:00pm Sunday: 9:00am – 5:00pm - **Café Hours** Monday – Thursday: 7:00am – 6:00pm Friday: 7:00am – 2:00pm Saturday – Sunday: Closed #### CONTACT - [Contact Us](https://www.palmhealth.com/contact/) - [Donation Request](https://www.palmhealth.com/request-a-donation/) #### PORTAL - [Patient Health Portal](https://11898.portal.athenahealth.com/) - [Wellness Portal](https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/mainclass) #### Careers - [Job Opportunities](https://www.palmhealth.com/careers/) - [Become a PALM Physician](https://www.palmhealth.com/become-a-palm-physician/) #### POLICIES - [All Policies](https://www.palmhealth.com/policies/) #### SIGN UP FOR OUR MAILING LIST TO REACH WELL-BEING PALM Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website and social media sites are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. - © [2016-2024 PALM Integrative Health, LLC](https://www.palmhealth.com/) - | - All Rights Reserved - | - [membership@palmhealth.com](mailto:membership@palmhealth.com) - | - (314) 801-8898 ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Adelaide", "url" : "https://blog.palmhealth.com/author/adelaide" }, "dateModified" : "2024-06-25T18:03:43.065Z", "datePublished" : "2022-01-10T16:44:37.000Z", "headline" : "Find the \"Why\" Behind Your Goals | PALM Health - St. Louis", "image" : [ "https://blog.palmhealth.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Find-Your-Why-image-scaled.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.palmhealth.com/find-the-why-behind-your-goals", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.palmhealth.com/hubfs/PALM%20Logo%20-%20New%20Color%20Stacked%20with%20Tagline.png" } } } ```