Many people can name some way they’d like to change for the better. Perhaps you want to quit smoking or drinking alcohol, begin a regular exercise routine or cut back on high-fat foods. It’s natural to focus on an ultimate goal. However, the reality is that there are many small, sometimes trying, steps on the way to reaching a big goal.

When it comes to making changes to your lifestyle, setting realistic expectations can give you a better shot at success. Here are some suggestions:

Don’t rely on wishful thinking. The idea of change can feel scary and overwhelming. It’s tempting to want to turn to easy and quick solutions or promises, such as diet pills or fad diets. Some people just keep wishing for change to happen someday. More often than not, it takes a great deal of effort to change.

Prepare. Unless you have a well-thought-out plan for how you will change, you may be setting yourself up for failure. You’ll need resources and people to support you. You’ll need a strategy for how you will resist temptations to go back to the old behavior.

Craft reachable goals. First, be honest about your life before the change. If you want to cut down on your drinking, know exactly how much alcohol you drink now. If you want to lose weight, track your eating and daily calorie intake before you change. And make sure that your goals are concrete. For instance, rather than setting a goal to simply exercise more, make a plan for how, when and how long you’ll exercise every day or every other day.

Be prepared to forgive yourself. Relapse is a part of the process of change. Most people who make a change and stick with it have relapses along the way. If you have a relapse, your reaction to it can make all the difference. Instead of feeling down, forgive yourself and move on. Focus on the reasons you want to change and the progress you have made. Don’t give up, and get right back to your plan.

Once you break down your ultimate goal into smaller, more practical goals, you’ll have the opportunity to realize your potential every day and gain important health benefits for a lifetime

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