So how can you tell if your goal is too scary? "Every goal should be attainable at the daily level if you are starting out a behavior," explains Joshua Klapow, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and host of The Web on Cumulus Radio. In other words, if you want to run a marathon, can you commit to sticking to your training schedule, eating to fuel your body, and prioritizing rest on a daily basis? If so, you have the capability to get to that finish line, no matter how scary it m
ay seem. If you think you can get the process goals done that your outcome goal requires, there is absolutely no reason you shouldn't set that big, scary goal. Klapow says this rule applies to all, no matter what your personality is like. "Stretch goals are great for all of us," he says, "but regardless of your personality, regardless of your competitiveness, regardless of how afraid you might be, goal setting is not unique. Goals are the translation of desires into action. And you can only do one day at a time. So if you want that 100-pound weight-loss goal, set it—but set it as a function of how much exercise, what food you are going to eat each day." Makes sense, right?