What are your Rewards for Reaching Your Goals?

Setting goals to make it easier to achieve them is very important but so is the recognition we give ourselves for making it happen.

Often we forget to set ourselves a reward for achieving our goal and we get caught up in getting stuck into achieving the next goal. I know I've done this plenty of times and it has only been in the last couple of years that I've made sure to mark at least some of my achievements with rewards.

I'm finding that having the physical proof of rewarding myself to be really good motivation too. I finished last year off by getting myself a kayak and really enjoy getting out with it. I'll stop along the river or creek somewhere, look about and feel really good about where I am and how I got to be there.

My current reward for achieving my next set of goals is to become a Platypus Mum - a Zoo Parent. That's where you sponsor an animal to help with its care and research. Many zoos have this great program, there are different price points for sponsorship and you can choose which animal your support.

Personally I love platypuses - I think they are wonderful and being able to sponsor them at the zoo fits in with my values about being the change you want in the world. I want platypuses to have a safe and secure environment, for the reintroduction of animals back into their traditional native environments and for good research to be kindly done to protect them.

The key value of the reward is it makes you feel good and it's appropriate to the achievement of the goals.

So if your goal is get your weight to a certain point and keep it there then a good reward could be a new outfit that shows off your beautiful figure.

If you're saving for an overseas holiday and are feeling like you are having to go without then have a jewellery party where you get rewarded with a generous hostess thank you gift voucher. This also works for any type of savings like a house, car, investment etc.

When you've achieved fitness goals such as regularly attending a yoga class most weeks for 12 months you could reward yourself with a new yoga outfit. Then each time you go to yoga you feel good about what you've achieved and have the proof for doing it.

I heard about a boyfriend who was rewarding his girlfriend for getting free from smoking. When she didn't smoke for a week he gave her the handbag she'd be eyeing off. The next reward was set for a month without smoking and so on. It was great motivation. She was telling her friends, staying off the cigarettes and eagerly anticipating the next reward.

The importance of the rewards is the positive self recognition and reinforcement of your success. I bought a lovely little ring for myself as a reward once and the feeling I get from it when I think of the time and reason I bought it is great for my spirit - it physically reminds I can achieve really big things.

Some Quick Wins for Setting Yourself Rewards
Write out your goals and list next to them what rewards for yourself you'd enjoy.

Consider rewards from varying scales from small ones like visiting the art gallery to buying a new outfit to a holiday so they fit the goal and your budget.

Talk with your friends about rewards they have given themselves. It's really interesting to learn from others about their ideas.

Want to become Zoo Parent? Check our these zoos...

http://www.mogozoo.com.au/ - Mogo zoo is a personal favourite of mine with it's program of caring for endangered species and active breeding programs. Their animal adoption program is great.

http://www.zoofriends.org.au/ is Taronga Zoo's Association for Zoo Friends and they look after the Zoo Parent program.

http://www.zoo.org.au/ - Victorian zoos have a great range of animal adoption programs for you to explore.

You can usually a adopt an animal from as little as $100 to as much as $1000.