Setting Goals During Cancer Treatment

We Can Help You Set Goals That are Right for You.

One of the less often discussed ways patients with cancer can be affected by their diagnosis is in their perspectives of the future.

Planning Life Alongside Cancer Treatment

It may be difficult for patients who are in the midst of battling to see past their immediate to-do lists. These to-do lists are usually filled with doctors’ appointments and treatment schedules, as well as trying to maintain their daily routines as much as possible.

However, envisioning one’s future alongside and post-cancer treatment is an important and natural exercise. Although long-term goals may need to be altered or modified, it is vital to plan for your future.

The Lasting Effects of Cancer Treatment

It’s vital to acknowledge that planning for the future may look different once cancer survivors are on the road to recovery. However, having to adjust plans shouldn’t be a reason to quit planning. To help patients understand what to expect after their battle with cancer, here are some long-lasting effects they may experience while recovering:

Long-lasting effects:

• A person may not be physically capable of athletic performance or achievement at the same level as before their cancer diagnosis. 
• A career-driven individual may find they don’t value success in this area of their life as much as they once did, or they struggle to invest the effort necessary to advance in their career at their pre-cancer pace. 
• For some, cancer or cancer-treatment-related effects on fertility can reshape how a person wants or is able to create their desired family.

Sometimes cancer’s lasting impact renders a person’s previous life goals unrealistic or unachievable.

For example:

This realization may bring a certain amount of grief as patients struggle to understand how their post-cancer-diagnosis self can move forward meaningfully. For ambitious or goal-oriented people, functioning without a north-star goal to guide and direct them leaves them feeling unmotivated and potentially depressed. Conversely, clinging to goals that are too difficult can lead to self-defeating, circular feelings of inadequacy that aren’t healthy for anyone, including cancer survivors.

Moving Forward Post-Cancer Treatment

After taking stock of their new perspectives, any changes in values or dreams, and accounting for any physical challenges they may now need to navigate, setting goals is important. Taking time to journal, processing any changes in feelings, and working through any disappointment can be helpful.

However, after taking stock of the disappointments, one should still list positives that they can look forward to, as well as listing achievements and relationships that bring meaning to their lives.

Finally, cancer survivors should set reasonable goals that can be achieved and can lead to feelings of success that propel the person forward to rebuild a hopeful and healthy outlook.

Goal Setting for the Future

Whether it is just another Monday, a new month, or a new year, goals can be as big, small, or varied and as numerous as we like. In the U.S. a new year often brings a want or need to create new goals. However, a person doesn’t need a new year to set new goals.

Examples of goal setting during cancer treatments can include:

• Treatment-related goals or milestones if they are focusing on their cancer treatment
• Getting more organized in their daily life or removing “clutter” in all its forms
• Trying to live healthier or adopting healthier habits.

Whether they’re goals for a new year or a new day, it’s important to follow a systematic approach and follow guidelines to become successful in goal-setting and goal-achievement.

SMART Goals

Using the SMART goal technique is one way a person can make and assess their new goals. Although this technique was originally coined in the world of business, it has been successfully applied to any number of venues, including personal development since then.

SMART Goals are as follows:

• Specific: What exactly will you accomplish?
• Measurable: How will you know when you have reached the goal?
• Achievable: Is achieving this goal realistic with effort and commitment? Have you got the resources to achieve this goal? If not, how will you get them?
• Relevant: Why is this goal significant to your life?
• Timely: When will you achieve this goal?

In addition, you should also answer the following important questions:

• Why is this goal important to you?
• What are the benefits of achieving this goal?
• What are potential obstacles and solutions to these obstacles?
• Who are people that you can ask to help you?

SMART goals are so useful because they eliminate the ambiguity of other types of goal setting. Many people who want to accomplish their goals, employ the smart goal method to stay accountable and eliminate distractions.

Staying Focused

Some people choose to create a vision board. This involves cutting out or drawing visual images of how you think achieving your goal will look. For instance, if you have created a goal of being healthier, cutting out images of healthy-looking people or people that are working out or eating right, etc., may keep you inspired. You can even get creative, and make it a fun project.

Setting goals are a way to get you motivated for change and a way to keep you focused. Go ahead and try one of these data-backed methods.

More Information

If you are a cancer patient struggling with your mental health, tell your care team and they can connect you with resources.

Thompson Cancer Survival Center offers free counseling services to patients during treatment. If you are a patient and would like to speak with a counselor, visit https://www.thompsoncancer.com/counseling/ to learn how to schedule an appointment.

Resources:

GoalSetting.org. What are SMART Goals?

Psychology Today. What is a Vision Board and Why Make One?

Livestrong. Changing Priorities.