New Years resolutions

Goal Setting

It's past New Years and many people have gone back to the gym to get started on their New Years resolutions.  In fact many have already quit.  I've just started.  Last week was the first day back in a while.  I've been too busy with other things over the past few months, cars, work, family the list goes on and on.  Life gets in the way for all of us at one point or another.  For me it was the last few months.

Today is Monday, a few weeks into the new year, and it's time to start working towards some new goals. I don't make any resolutions, I don't believe in them exactly. I don't think you need a specific time to start on a journey. What you do need is a goal or series of goals to work towards. Let's run through how to make those goals happen.

The very first thing you will need to do; create a list of what you want to accomplish. You need to decide what you want before you can make a plan to achieve it.

Have you figured out what you want? Is it to make changes in who you are? Is it to make money? Get your dream job? Articulate that. Write it down. Tell your friends. Make it a point to repeat it every day. Place it where you can see it the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.

When you have figured out what you want to achieve, whatever or whomever that might be, you can start to set some goals. You will need to set long term goals and some small short term goals. You will need to use the short term goals to make the plan to reach your bigger ones.

When you have made those goals you will need to write down a plan to achieve them. Part of that plan is setting some time aside every day to work on that goal. You might need to schedule time to focus on it. Maybe it is something you need to change about your daily routine. Whatever the case you will need to evaluate what you need to change to reach those goals.

Now when you have set your goals, little and small, and then made your plan, it is time to execute. This is when you put your plan into action. If you needed to adjust your schedule then you will need to stay on that newly adjusted schedule. This isn't a time to be looking for motivation to do it. You have already had that initial kick in the pants which the motivation gave you to get started. You have now passed that initial thrust. Now you are implementing, you are focused on the discipline.

Let's explore in a little more detail what I'm talking about. For instance since this is a fitness blog let's take your fitness goals and use it as an example. So you want to go to the gym but can't find the time. Your long term goal is to look like Chis Hemsworth did in the movie Thor. He didn't wake up one day and look like that and neither will you. Looking like Thor is your big or long term goal. To reach that long term goal you have several short term goals to reach. One of those is to find the time to go to the gym to reach that pinnacle. Not only is it to go to the gym but its to do it on a consistent basis, say you've determined 5 days per week. Eating correctly is the second short term goal. These goals are the first two pieces you need to reach your long term goal. So now you have your long term goal and your short term goals set up.

So going to the gym 5 times a week requires a time commitment. Now let's work on your plan to achieve that. First do you need to get up an hour early to go there each morning? Maybe you're not a morning person so then you will go each evening. That's fine just make sure you do one or the other. Another option might be to go twice on the weekends and get two of the workouts done when you have more time to spend there. You could even go twice in one day if you have more time on one particular day. Go in the morning and then in the evening. Just make sure you get enough rest so that you aren't tearing down muscle you have already loaded and need to allow for it to recover.

Second you need to eat right. That means you have to think about your food and prepare it. That could be done all on Sunday before your week starts or it could be done on a daily basis. It just means you need to prepare it to make sure you eat the right things and steer away from McDonalds. Alternatively you could order your food from a meal prep service. This is more expensive however it is easier to do and they are healthy options. There are most likely several prep services near you if you live in a big metropolitan area. These are decisions you need to make first.

You will face challenges and road blocks on your way to reaching what you set out to accomplish. That’s ok we all do. What’s important is to maintain the momentum. Set up check-ins with yourself. Make sure you are on the right path. If you are finding that it’s not proceeding as planned, then adjust your strategy. Don’t wait till next year to start over. Adjust and continue to move forward. Remember small progress is better than no progress.

Making your goals public helps you to stay focused on them. Your friends and family can call your attention to it when you have let it go by the wayside. They can help keep you accountable. All that does is add another layer of protection and another layer of checks and balances to help you keep focused on your forward momentum.

These are some of the strategies that I use to reach my goals and keep my on track to them. Why not try them out for yourself and see how it goes?

Happy Lifting and Strive to Arrive!

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