At DIAKADI Fitness, a gym in San Francisco, there’s a “results wall” covered with plaques commemorating clients’ achievements. After more than two decades, Billy Polson, a founder and co-owner of the gym, has seen milestones of all kinds make it onto the wall, from personal records in races to lifetime bests in the weight room. One woman even added a plaque once she was able to play the piano for 30 minutes without back pain.
For many people who put a plaque on the wall, Mr. Polson said, their sense of accomplishment is followed by a burning question: Now what?
Goal setting is part of how we demarcate time, said Dr. Katy Milkman, a behavioral scientist at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of “How to Change.”
Similar to a graduation, accomplishing a goal is a way of bookmarking the end of a particular chapter of life, Dr. Milkman said. So it’s natural afterward to wonder what comes next.
If you just ticked off a goal, here’s how experts recommend approaching the uncertainty that can follow.
Don’t fear the comedown.
It’s normal to feel a bit lost after reaching a goal, especially one you’ve been working toward for a long time, said Dr. Emily Balcetis, an associate professor of psychology at New York University.
Pursuing a goal can give you a sense of identity and purpose, so reaching the end can feel a bit like having the rug pulled out from under you, even if you are thrilled with the results.
Acknowledge that the sadness is expected, Dr. Balcetis said, and use that information to inform your next goal.
So if you finished a triathlon and then realize what you most miss is the time you spent outdoors while training, you might target a new goal that gets you back outside.
Find ways to celebrate.
Our brains are wired to seek reward, Dr. Balcetis said. Part of what drives you to the finish line of a race is the knowledge that you will feel a sense of accomplishment at the end, Dr. Milkman added.
At Mr. Polson’s gym, coaches often know their clients’ “celebration love languages” and try to help them make a plan to soak in their accomplishment, he said. For some people, celebrating might look like a proud social media post and a few days off. For others, it could be a festive dinner or even a relaxing beach vacation. Maybe you enjoy having more time for other hobbies or activities than you did while in pursuit of your goal — savoring that time can be its own celebration, too.
If you achieve a goal and don’t give yourself the chance to celebrate, then it may be harder to motivate yourself to get over the next roadblock you encounter, Dr. Milkman said. Closing the chapter can also help your next target feel like a fresh start, she added, which can offer a psychological break from the past and help you commit to whatever comes next.
Take time to reflect.
Reflecting on your experience can help you apply what you learned to your next pursuit.
Consider the tactics that helped you reach your milestone and the barriers you overcame. Was it helpful to lay out your gym clothes the night before an early workout? Or, did you struggle to wake up for morning sessions and learn you were more consistent when you planned your exercise for the afternoon?
It’s also important to ask yourself what drove you to set a particular goal, said Dr. Elliot Berkman, a professor of psychology at the University of Oregon. If your ambitions are rooted in your values, there’s a greater chance you’ll stay motivated, he added.
For example, if you value being part of a team, training with a group of friends for your first 5K may be more motivating than targeting the same goal alone. Or, if having a sense of routine is important to you, you might try setting a walking streak.
Plot your next goal …
After reaching a goal, some people are quick to leap to the next one. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if it brings you joy, Dr. Balcetis said.
If you completed a triathlon and genuinely loved the early-morning training sessions in the pool, signing up for another one could allow you to celebrate your accomplishment while using it as fuel moving forward, she said.
Whatever you decide to focus on next, make sure your goal is concrete and can be broken down into weekly bite-size activities, said Mr. Polson. Smaller, more achievable goals can help you sustain motivation and stay on track. If your long term goal is to complete an obstacle course race, one week you might work toward a pull-up, while the next you might focus on building your endurance.
… but don’t overdo it.
If you are feeling burned out, consider focusing on a different domain. Taking a break from one type of goal and identifying another one can be rejuvenating, Dr. Milkman said.
That could mean from shifting your attention from cycling to strength training, or from attending group fitness classes to starting a solo exercise routine.
Or, maybe you find yourself craving some time to just catch your breath. If so, pay attention to that feeling and give yourself a break, Mr. Polson said.
Sometimes, the right answer to “What’s next?” is a little downtime.