How to Set Goals to Get Fit
I have no doubt that you will have heard the term goal setting when it comes to fitness.
You might also be sitting there thinking your goal is to just lose weight. Easy right?
There are loads of benefits to having goals to work towards both in life and in terms of your health and fitness.
Not only can setting goals be helpful for getting us from where we are now to where we want to be, but also for helping us to understand what it is we actually want.
Let’s break it down shall we.
WHY IS GOAL SETTING IMPORTANT?
Setting goals can help you to engage in new and positive behaviours, to help you stay focused and keep taking steps in the right direction. It works because even if the actions are imperfect, they’re still all going in the same direction and over time that is what counts the most.
Having clear goals can help give you a sense of control and ownership. It is empowering to know exactly what it is you want to achieve.
Goals can allow you to measure your progress in a way that doesn’t involve a set of scales or a tape measure.
What’s the first step to setting goals?
FINDING YOUR WHY
This is a really important process because it helps us understand the overarching driving force behind what it is that you really want.
It is important that you sit down and take the time to understand your why.
Ask yourself:
What is the goal? Why do you want to achieve it? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?
It might seem a bit nuts at first but it REALLY works. The first reason that you give is rarely the underlying and true WHY behind what you want.
Now we know what it is we REALLY want, we should look at getting pen to paper.
HOW TO SET GOALS
Studies show that 90% of the time when goals are specific and challenging, they led to better results, over goals that are too easy or too generic. There are some key things to keep in mind when setting goals.
Are they clear?
Setting goals that are clear and specific will eliminate confusion around expected outcomes and this happens a lot when goals are too generic.
Are they challenging?
Challenging goals will enable you to accomplish more and each success will create a sense of achievement that improves your self-belief in your ability to change and do great things.
Are you committed?
Do you really want it? Are you doing this for YOU? The more committed you are the more likely you are to achieve, a bit of a no brainer really.
Are you checking in?
If you keep track of what you’re doing, how you feel, what is working and what isn’t, it allows you to adjust. It may even mean you need to change your expectations or re-evaluate your plan of action going forward.
What’s the timeframe?
Deadlines are shown to help improve the effectiveness of a goal, helping to keep your focus with an end point in sight.
Let’s wrap up.
Setting goals can be a great way to help us move forward in life. They provide us with a roadmap. They help us stay accountable. They can also help us to understand what it is we truly want in life.
They can help us prioritise and lead us to live the kind of life we really want.
That doesn’t mean you have to live every single moment of your life mapped out. Everybody needs a day with nothing to accomplish other than a cuppa and a hot bath.
Maybe we will enjoy those moments even more when we have our goals mapped out?
