While the new year isn’t the only time to set impactful goals, it’s often one of the most popular times for solidifying goals with lasting impact. What’s more, many of these resolutions concern health & wellbeing. In 2024, the Pew Research Center conducted a survey where a whopping 79% of individuals said their New Year’s resolutions concerned health. That same study revealed that as of mid-January of that year, 13% of respondents had already abandoned these goals.
Setting goals is easy; but sticking to them is expectedly difficult. This isn’t a new concept at all and it shouldn’t ever be a deterrent for creating ambitious plans. But when we all decide to pursue a new goal, we owe it to ourselves to create a system of support that helps maximize our success. This is exactly where health coaches need to (and do) come into play.
According to recent data, health coaches make it statistically more possible for individuals to achieve their health goals, whether they’re related to weight loss, nutrition, mental health and so much more (you can check out compilations of all of the latest data in our Deep Dive library). In today’s blog, we talk about a few of the many reasons why working with a health coach is scientifically proven to transform your January resolutions into lifelong realities.
Health coaches help create goals that are personal, giving you a head-start to success.
Health coaches are trained experts in the science of goal setting and behavior change. They’ve dedicated hours of study and lived experience to understanding how to crack the code behind health & wellbeing achievement. They understand the first and most important step towards reaching a new milestone is setting the right goal. What does the “right goal” look like? The secret is that it looks different for everyone. Research has shown that personal motivation is “central” to achieving goals. This means that goals can’t be set to please anyone else but YOU. Health coaches are great at asking the right questions that tap into our intrinsic motivations and get us to understand why a given goal is so important to us. Accessing the motivation behind these objectives is key to making them a reality.
In the past, SMART goals have been seen as the only successful approach towards making goals happen. Recent research has shifted this school of thought and suggests that different methods can be effective for different types of people. This is precisely why health coaches are keystone to making goals possible. They take the time to get to know every individual they work with and understand achievement is a journey. This means they can help their clients adapt their goals in real time to remain successful based on how they learn; feel motivated; and remain accountable.
Health coaches foster resilience and acceptance – two secret weapons for achievement.
The road to actualizing any goal can often be a daunting one. We’re pushing ourselves to stretch into unfamiliar and sometimes uncomfortable territory. We feel new emotions, explore new parts of ourselves and face change head-on. Health coaches have seen this complicated process many times over and are specialists in guiding clients through this journey. They understand that resilience and self-acceptance are key to staying the course, especially when things become particularly challenging.
By developing resilience, we build the strength to bounce back from setbacks and continue moving forward, even when progress feels slow. Health coaches help us shift our mindset, so obstacles become opportunities for growth rather than reasons to quit. They help us practice positive psychology – from incorporating daily affirmations to our routine to understanding how to apply gratitude daily – in order to referee potential setbacks. Self-acceptance, on the other hand, allows us to meet ourselves where we are and embrace every step of our journey. It’s about honoring the process and remembering that every effort counts. Health coaches offer unwavering support during times of doubt, helping us reconnect with our “why” and stay aligned with our deeper values.
Health coaches help anticipate barriers and plan ahead for maximal success.
In addition to helping us create goals that stick and giving us the tools for success, health coaches can help us predict potential challenges, creating action plans that work. For example, health coaches work with us to understand our daily routines. They might help us identify when we feel most motivated or energized and help us align our daily progress with those moments. This might mean creating a movement schedule that’s calibrated to breaks in our work schedule when we also need time to step away and process a new task. It could mean prioritizing tasks when our energy is highest, helping us tackle mentally demanding tasks when we’re feeling at our peak. Health coaches know that for a goal to become a lasting behavior change, it needs to fit seamlessly into our daily schedules; and make sure to work with clients to make this more possible.
Setting goals is an important part of personal growth and when these goals are related to health and wellbeing, they play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Real health coaches make sure goals we set in January – or at any point during the year – don’t get stuck where they start. With a health coach by your side, you gain more than just someone to help you set goals; you gain a partner in success who helps you navigate obstacles, adjust when needed, and stay motivated even when challenges arise.
Now is a great time to seek out the support of a health coach. If your employer doesn’t offer REAL health & wellbeing coaching (the kind that connects you to a real human who’s dedicated to offering tailored, science-backed support for your needs) let them know YourCoach can provide a solution. Employers can reach out to team@yourcoach.health to learn more about how we can partner with your organization to provide REAL health coaching, the kind that makes an impact to individuals and organizations, to your workforce.