How To Set and Achieve Goals
It’s not January 1, but here we are, talking about GOALS. Setting and achieving big goals is something that has motivated me so much from the beginning of my fitness journey but I will be the first person to tell you that it has not been smooth sailing from the beginning. And I think that’s the first lesson of setting and reaching goals, right? That we won’t always be perfect at it. We just won’t.
Beginning from a place of accepting the imperfection and the days where you may feel as though you’ve “failed”, well then we can focus on putting in the work that we need to achieve those goals. A good goal is going to be defined by time (you need a set date of completion) and measurability (you need a factual form of measurement rather than something subjective). Pro-tip: I do not recommend using the scale as a form of measurement for a fitness goal unless you have a significant amount of weight to lose. It just isn’t helpful when you are recomposing your body with muscle, because we know that muscle weighs more than fat.
After you have your “due date” and your form of measurement, the rest is going to come down to mindset. It really is. Executing the steps to a goal is the easy part, don’t let your brain tell you it isn’t. The most difficult part of achieving a fitness goal is overcoming the mental blocks that helped you get there in the first place. I highly recommend journaling, implementing a positive affirmation routine, and setting a structure in place to replace old habits with new ones to help you reach your goal.
Okay, with all of that said, here are my top three tips for setting and achieving your fitness goals!
Set The Bar Low
You don’t hear that too often, do you? Haha. This is super important, though. When you are in the beginning stages of meeting a new goal, make sure that you set the steps for your goal at something EASILY achievable. It should be as easy to do the task as it is to not do it. For example, if your goal is to be able to run a 5k in 30 minutes but you have never run for 1 full minute, the first step to your goal may be to walk for 10 minutes a day.
I know what you’re thinking, “that’s too easy” or “that won’t do anything.” But yes it will! What it will do is prove to yourself that you follow through. Once you trust in yourself that you will do what it takes, you can slowly raise that bar until you’re running for 3 minutes of your 10 minute walk, then running for 5, running for 7, 10, 15. You get the idea.
Focus On One Goal At A Time
If you’re a goal-getter like me, it can be really easy to stack your plate high with all of the things you want to achieve right away. Making more money, losing more weight, spending more time with your kids, excelling at a hobby. Why not, right?! Haha, well the reason why not to do that is that it divides your focus and attention between too many things and takes the edge off, so to speak.
If you want to achieve a goal, you should prioritize the one you want to achieve the most ahead of anything else. FOCUS on that goal and go get it. When you can focus all of your media intake, your positive affirmations, your excess time into one thing, that one thing is going to be powerful. Choose ONE. The rest can come later.
Schedule It
“If you talk about it, it’s a dream. If you envision it, it’s possible. If rou schedule it, it’s real.” - Tony Robbins
Take your ONE goal (with a deadline and a measurable end goal) and sit down. What is it going to take for you to achieve that goal? Break down every single step that it will take. How much will each of those steps take for you to complete? Write down an exact time for each step. Now schedule. Put it all on your calendar. If it’s on your calendar, all you have to do is complete each calendar appointment, and then your goal will be achieved. Doesn’t that simplify everything?! All you have to do is follow your calendar. You’ve got this!
Ready to set a goal? Work with me on achieving your next fitness goal or let me know how your goal setting is going! We can be goal setting besties!