Ready, Set, GOal!- Goal Setting
Failing to plan is planning to fail — John Wooden
It’s that simple.
Most of you will start off the new year really fired up and ready to go with your commitment level, workout intensity etc… So, where does it fall apart? YOUR PLAN!
People are usually really good at picking a goal but miss a crucial step to prepare in order to see success in the long run. In my opinion, if you cannot sit down and a least explain to yourself how you plan to accomplish your goal; you are not really serious about it.
This should not be a daunting task for you but if you are serious about meeting your goals there is still a chance if you start planning, NOW!
A lot of people I have learned from told me it is best to break a goal down into parts because, it can seem to large of a task if left too vague (i.e. Lose weight). I agree with this complete with my own little spin. This common method of goal planning is called “S.M.A.R.T. Goal setting”. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant/Realistic, Timely. This in itself is a good tool that can be used to get started but, I find that it is still a little vague and doesn’t help with the long-term process of keeping to your goals.
You can use the SMART to get started but then do a little bit of an in-depth breakdown of your goal as a whole with the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHY and HOW checklist, to help you fill in the gaps that might slow your progress down in the future. This method can be used for all sorts of goals not just for fitness and exercise related ones, so keep that in mind when you make some changes in your life in the future.
Some Simple steps to take before you start… if you are really serious about this goal of yours.
Step 1: WRITE IT DOWN. So get your pencil and papers ready!
Step 2: BREAK IT DOWN
Step 3: BREAK IT DOWN FURTHER WITH WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHY and HOW
Step 4: WALLPAPER YOUR HOUSE WITH IT…not seriously but display it in places you will see it (IE. Computer wallpaper, doorways, fridge, T-shirt, Car etc)
Step One: Write it down
Simple I am not even going to go into it…grab something to write with and then quickly something to write on. (speed is of great importance here)
Step Two: Start Smart Goals
You should always start with something general and loosely defined to make it easier to choose a specific direction. (IE. Lose Weight)
S: (Specific): Lose weight for what, when or make yourself some shorter term goals such as saying to lose a certain amount of weight per month or workout a specific amount of times each month.
M: (Measurable): How and when do you expect to keep track of your progress?
A: (Attainable): What will you do you to make this goal attainable?
R: (Realistic): Is this a goal that you can see yourself completing in the time frame you have given yourself? You might need to break down your goal into smaller goals here to see what it will come out to.
T: (Timely): How much time will your goal actually and realistically take compared to the actual time you are willing to leave for your goal or the time you have available. Some of the goals are planned great and look awesome on paper because they are words without a connection to reality. Evaluate your day and see if you HAVE the time available and if not how can you make the time.
Step Three: Beyond SMART Goals
The Who? What? Where? Why? and How?
The Who
Who, (if more than yourself) is trying to accomplish this goal.
The main question here is Who is being held responsible for the successful completion of the goal or failure of the goal. Ultimately, that person is usually yourself. Here is also a good place to ask yourself who you can rely on to use a support system. If you chose someone or multiple people be sure to show your seriousness about completing this goal. Think of it as you are someone pitching a business idea to a large company. What is the business plan that you are going to show them? Have you done your research? What will you need from them? What would you like from them? Do they have a specific role? and etc. You can not make a statement then 5 minutes later contradict your own statements like saying; you are going to eat healthier and then when someone catches you eating a whole meat lovers pizza for lunch and you respond with a mouth full of meat and dough…” I meant I was Starting tomorrow”.
Express your level of commitment to your support team so they can help you when you need it.
The What
Make A List! Look at your SMART goals and break them down. What am I going to need to meet my goal. Do I need new clothes? Do you have a space dedicated to your goal? DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW TO GET STARTED? It’s a simple process that is often overlooked or just attacked as it comes up in the future. Like 2 months in your sneakers break and you now have no footwear to go to the gym in, then you miss a week or two of your workouts because you for some reason or another do not go and get new ones. Do you need music to help keep you focused while you workout? What kind of workouts will you be doing? Are you going(and you should) follow a specific program that will progress as you progress or are you going to go into it unprepared and expect miracles? MOST PEOPLE EXPECT MIRACLES.
The Where
This Is one that can be harder to plan for but, if you have at least a few months planned out then it should not be too bad. Again, do you have a place to consistently go to make progress toward your goal.
If you know there will be times such as vacations, holidays, special events (weddings, business trips, family reunions etc.) where you will not be able to get to your normal facility. Is there a back-up plan? Is there a facility where you are going that you can use or do you need to bring something in place of going somewhere.
Some people who travel often get hung up on the fact that they are always on the road when all it takes is a little prep work in booking your trip and keeping your goals a priority.
The Why
This part is not going to be easy. You are going to have to settle down and be completely honest with yourself. The Why is hard but often the driving factor in keeping your goal alive in times that are not easy. There is no simple trick to this except for letting your walls come down on an emotional level. Some people may do better if there is someone they trust asking them why. Finding the root reason is often eye-opening and maybe something you never thought of. For example, I once worked with a 65 yr old lady who told me she wanted to get fit and, her only reasoning at first was because she was getting older and wanted her clothes to fit better. I thought “ OK, Honorable…she has a grasp of why”. As we kept talking she kept referencing that she always watches her grandchildren and is drained just from following them around in the park or when they play a game. When I made the suggestion she wanted to be fit not just herself but, for her grand kids she smiled and I could tell without her even saying the words that being an active part of their lives was of grave importance to her. She later confirmed it and we proceeded.
The How
The Final part of the list for a reason. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO ALL THESE THINGS ABOVE! Tell yourself what you need to do; plain and simple. For example: If you want to have a personal trainer guide you through your workouts; what is the rate of the trainers in your area? Is the trainer qualified? What is a Qualified Trainer and how can I tell if they are not Qualified? Do you know how you would like to workout?
This is the place to put your uncertainties on paper so there is no question of what you have not done, what you need to do now and what you already have done or know. You do not want to waste your time on doing things over and over again.
Biggest thing to remember is to have patience! There is no replacement for hard work, so do not think that once you have it all planned out it is time to coast and hope for the best.
I am going to leave you with this link to John Wooden’s Pyramid Of Success.
Originally published at fitletes.com
Thanks For taking the time out of your day to read.
If you enjoyed it then I hope you follow, It would really mean the world to me.