Accomplishing Anything Worthwhile in Life MUST Begin with This…
We have heard over the years how important goal setting is to your short and long term success. If you have ever set out to accomplish a lofty goal and actually accomplished it, then goal setting probably played a big role. Fitness and weight loss are no different. If you truly want to succeed long term then you MUST set goals and have an action plan to accomplish them. But how do you go about doing that???
First, let’s discuss just how important goals setting is and why. Like I said above, most big accomplishments in life were preceded by goal setting. When you begin college you have a goal of graduating in 4 years and you plan to do so by going to class, studying hard, and only partying 4 nights a week. When (motivated and ambitious) people begin a career they set goals for success. They make a plan to get promoted, to make more money, and advance as far as possible in the shortest amount of time. Successful sales people set daily, weekly, and monthly goals to ensure that they are always thriving and moving forward.
Goals serve as motivation. They give us something to strive for. Goals are a dangling carrot that we are always chasing which in turn keeps us focused on the prize. When we set goals, make a plan to accomplish them, and then actually achieve them…the feeling is euphoric. This is why the MOST successful people in the world swear by goal setting.
To illustrate this point further check out this study below…it’s fascinating!
In the book What They Don’t Teach You in the Harvard Business School, Mark McCormack tells about study conducted on students in the 1979 Harvard MBA program. In that year, the students were asked, “Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?” Only three percent of the graduates had written goals and plans; 13 percent had goals, but they were not in writing; and a whopping 84 percent had no specific goals at all.
Ten years later, the members of the class were interviewed again, and the findings, while somewhat predictable, were nonetheless astonishing. The 13 percent of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all. And what about the three percent who had clear, written goals? They were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put together.
In spite of such proof of success, most people don’t have clear, measurable, time-bounded goals that they work toward.
So, how can we apply these principles to fitness and weight loss and highly increase if not ensure our chances of success? Very few people actually set goals before beginning a fitness routine. If they do set goals they are random and arbitrary like “I want to lose 20 pounds. Setting a goal like that is akin to going to college with a goal of “getting an education”. What kind of goal is that?
For goal setting to be successful they must be S.M.A.R.T.
Specific- A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must answer the six “W” questions: Who is involved? What do I want to accomplish. Where – identify a location. When – establish a time frame. Which – identify requirements and constraints. Why – specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.
Measurable- Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of the goal you’ve set. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goal. You’ve got to answer questions like “how much” or “how will I know when it is accomplished?”
Attainable- When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals. You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach eventually move closer and become attainable, not because your goals shrink, but because you build your self-image. You see yourself as worthy of these goals, and develop the traits and personality that allow you to possess them.
Realistic and Relevant- To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be. But be sure that every goal represents substantial progress. A high goal is frequently easier to reach than a low one because a low goal exerts low motivational force. Some of the hardest jobs you ever accomplished actually seem easy simply because they were a labor of love. Your goal is probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished. Additional ways to know if your goal is realistic is to determine if you have accomplished anything similar in the past or ask yourself what conditions would have to exist to accomplish this goal.
Time Bound or Time Specific- A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there’s no sense of urgency. If you want to lose 20 lbs, when do you want to do it by? “Someday” won’t work. But if you anchor your goal within a timeframe, “by May 1st”, then you’ve set your unconscious mind into motion to begin working on the goal. T also stands for Tangible – A goal is tangible when you can experience it with one of the senses, that is, taste, touch, smell, sight or hearing. When your goal is tangible you have a better chance of making it specific and measurable and thus attainable. That’s why I’m a BIG believer in the physical act of writing out your goals on paper, then posting them where you will both see and read them out loud every single day. Visualize your success!
Here is an example of a clearly defined weight loss goal:
Instead of saying “I want lose 20 lbs” you would say “I will attend boot camp 4 days a week and give my best effort in each workout. I will do a cardio routine on my off days and follow the nutrition plan diligently by pre-planning my meals and eating 5-6 times a day. The foods I eat will consist of lean proteins, vegetables, and complex carbs. I will greatly limit my consumption of sugars and bad fats. I will also food journal every day. I will make exercise a priority and not be lazy or fall victim to temptation. In return, I will lose 20 lbs and drop 10% body fat by June 1st so I can feel better, look fit, wear my size 6 clothes again, and re-gain my self-confidence.”
Within this written goal there is a specific goal (lose 20 lbs and 10% body fat), it’s measurable (scale or body fat calipers), it’s attainable, it’s realistic (you’re not saying you want to lose 20 lbs in 1 week), and it’s specific (20 lbs, 10% body fat, size 6 clothes). Most importantly you have a plan to accomplish it. Because remember…
A goal without a plan is just a wish!
So I encourage every one of you to sit down today…not tomorrow… and write out your goals. Do not procrastinate (Procrastination is our worst form of self-sabotage). It will only take 15-20 minutes and the payoff will be HUGE! Once you have done this bring it to me and I will review it with you to make sure it is attainable and realistic. You should also share your goals with the people closest to you. Once you tell people they can then help hold you accountable!
Now, get to writing…your success depends on it!!!
Quotes of the Week
“If the doctor’s of today do not become the nutritionists of tomorrow, then nutritionists of today will become the doctor’s of tomorrow” -Unknown
“I have a great diet. You’re allowed to eat anything you want, but you must eat it with naked fat people” -Unknown
Your Fitness and Nutrition Coach,
Jason
P.S. To register for your FREE BodyBack! Boot Camp session, click the link below and register now:
www.BodyBackBootCamps.com
Come and join us for a fat burnin’, calorie churnin’ workout with other people who have the same goals as you! It’s fast, it’s fun, and it works! There is no better time to begin getting fit than right before summer. Be sure to register now as spots fill up VERY fast this time of year!
If you would like more fitness and weight loss tips click the “Free Report” link to the right of this article and get my latest reports “Finally…The Truth About Weight Loss” and “10 Ways to Lose Weight…FAST!” They will be emailed to you immediately!
