Setting Goals for 2026 - The Paleo Dentist

THE PALEO DENTIST BLOG
TPD BLOG #125 Setting Goals for 2026
Dr. Spiker Davis D.D.S. 713-781-2800 Dr. Matt Guerre D.D.S.
In collaboration with Dr. John Seger M.D. Cardiologist 713-791-9444 and Jenna Nixon Holistic Nutritionist 281-433-9996
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As you already know, I sit down around the first of each year and I do my goal planning. I’ve been doing it for 60 years because I learned years ago if you don’t write them down, they are just wishes or dreams. The written word is a serious motivator. So, for this year I have created a simple template that I sent out to my family, especially to my grandkids for an early foundation. This is by no way a complete or detailed version rather just an outline or a template to get you motivated, and I hope and pray that you can just use one small item from this template. For me it’s a cycle: achieve a goal, feel good, set a new goal that is slightly harder and repeat, creating continuous growth. Please look this over.

Motivation–I was told years ago that only 3% of people write down their goals and that is why 97% of people don’t reach their goals. Interesting thought. Also, if you write down your goals it will give you a target that prevents aimless projects or workouts and when it’s in writing it tends to keep you motivated. For example, if you say “I want to lose 10 pounds and you track and watch it, then when you lose 2-3 pounds it tends to keep you motivated to reach the 10 pound goal.you
Focus-If you write down your goals and put them in a place that you will see, then this will help you to stay focused. For example, put a sticky on your bathroom mirror to weigh this morning. Also, put a reminder in your phone to weigh and avoid sugar. Being constantly reminded also helps you to stay focused on the issues!
Written goals tend to help you measure your success and keep you accountable. We all need that. If you have a written goal to FLOSS daily, you are way more likely to do that than if you just told yourself on January 1st that your goal was to floss more (what does that mean?). So, in my opinion, you need to write down all of your goals and keep them posted in visible places to remind you!
Did you know that achieving goals releases endorphins, boosts self-esteem, reduces stress and builds confidence? We all need and enjoy this, and it spills out into other parts of our life.
Goals also turn dreams or abstract ideas (Like I want to be healthy-what does that mean?) into concrete plans (like eating Paleo and going to the gym 3 times per week), which will give you direction and help you focus. For example, if you have a goal to work out at the gym on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5:00 p.m. that means you should not accept an invitation to dinner with friends until 7:00 pm. on those days or shift your workout from Friday to Saturday so that you can go out with friends.
Lifelong Journey- in my opinion being healthy is a continuous process and not a destination. My brother-in-law always puts down to lose weight and after he loses some (he doesn’t write an exact number) then he quits working out. A year or two later his blood pressure is high and he is overweight again, so he sets another goal!

The Cycle of Goal setting:

You must identify WHY-Do you want to look better, feel better, reduce risk, avoid the pain or avoid putting your family under extreme burden. One of my main goals is to avoid a stroke or being in diapers. I’m a Christian and I’m not worried about dying but I do worry about being incapacitated from a stroke for years and sitting in a wheelchair someone changing my diapers. Take me now Lord!

SMART GOAL: Make your goals follow this acronym

S-specific-make it very detailed. I will floss every day immediately after eating breakfast and dinner.

M-measurable-I will have a chart in my bathroom to check off as I floss.

A-attainable-Make it reasonable-for example, going to the gym 2-3 days per week can be done. Doing it 7 days per week won’t work for most people.

R-relevant-don’t tell yourself that you are going to look like Hercules when you are 80 years old even if you go to the gym 5 days per week.

T-time bound-like walking 30,000 steps per day instead of 10,000. You get almost the same benefit from 10,000 steps but you have more time to do the other necessary things in life. It’s better to say, I will walk 10,000 steps 5 days per week.

For my personal goals I have created 6 areas or pillars that I use as format to decide what areas of my life need goals. I’m sure you can come up with more but these 6 are what I use. Each one of these areas has a lifelong story and has great potential.

LOVE-We all need love in our life. Without it, life can be lonely and depressing. Find the people you love and nourish them and it will nourish you.
WORK-can bring meaning to your life. If it doesn’t, maybe you need to change careers or companies or something. Work needs to be fun! I LOVE being a dentist!!!
WORSHIP-without worship you tend to focus more on having or getting more things. We all need worship to get through all the trials and tribulations of life. My favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:6 Living Bible version “WORRY ABOUT NOTHING AND PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING”. Also listen to Alan Jackson’s song “The Older I Get”
PLAY-in my younger years it was more about work and productivity than it was about Play. Now, the more play I have the more productive I am. What do you do to play-travel, sports, work, time with grandkids-FIND YOUR PLAY and do it!
FINANCE– this is different for everyone depending on age and goals etc., but if you ignore it there will be grief to pay. You must have a budget and live by it, and you must get it organized, or you will fail miserably in lots of things. Be strong and get help here if you need it.
HEALTH-without your health you have nothing and lying in bed with someone changing my diapers is not on my list. If you ignore your health, it will go away. Out of the 6 items listed here, this is the most complicated and there is no formula that fits all. So, I have EIGHT (8) pillars that I focus focus on. 1. Diet-Paleo. 2. Exercise. 3. Sleep. 4. Join your tribe. 5. Eliminate stress. 6. Supplements 7. Preventive dentistry (floss, brush, regular dental checkups) -as gum disease and an unhealthy mouth can be linked to about 45 diseases such as heart attack/stroke/diabetes/cancer/Alzheimer’s/infections of many kinds. 8. Preventive medicine- it is much cheaper and easier to prevent than to treat- in my opinion most physicians are not focused on prevention. Find one that looks for cause rather than pills. Consider reading these 2 books/“CRAZY GOOD LIVING” by Dr Al Danenberg and “FOREVER YOUNG” by Dr Mark Hyman, sign up for FunctionHealth.com USE CODE SDAVIS12 to move to the front of the line! Then visit your physician on a regular basis. I am setting up appointments now for after the first of the year, and so should you. As I said in the beginning, there is not one formula for everyone but if you follow these 8 points, I think the quality of your life will be way ahead than doing nothing! Make it fit for you and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I also hope and pray that this blog will set you on a path to reach your goals for 2026 and find your guide to a better, longer, healthier life!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026

SUMMARY-It is obvious to ME that your mouth is the window to your health. In my opinion, we should all focus on our health every day and that includes brushing, flossing, dental cleanings and while we are at it, let’s visit our physician for that annual checkup. Also, in my opinion almost all sugar and FAKE sugar is not healthy, and YOU SHOULD try hard to avoid it. If you are eating the Standard American Diet, then you asking to get sick and suffer as in Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease, gum disease and decay. Just remember that during the holiday season, the sugar content goes way up along with lots of potential dental problems from staining to falling down the stairs. And I forgot to mention the weight gain. Please aim to be healthier during the holidays. Have you started to plan your goals for 2026??? NOW IS THE TIME TO PLAN AND WE HOPE THAT IMPROVING DENTAL HEALTH IS AT THE TOP OF YOUR LIST.

SpikeR

“THE MOUTH IS THE WINDOW TO YOUR HEALTH”. BRUSH AND FLOSS TWICE DAILY, AVOID SUGAR AND PROCESSED FOOD FOR 2026 AND SEE YOUR DENTIST AND PHYSICIAN ON A REGULAR BASIS.

Spiker Davis D.D.S. spiker@thepaleodentist.com John Seger M.D. Matt Guerre D.D.S. Jenna Nixon Nutritioist

Jenna@goodthingsnaturalhealth.com 281-433-9996

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