The first step. Goal setting.
Everyone’s in a rush. Do this. Do that. We act first and think later. This can be both a good thing and a bad thing, of course. If you don’t take action, nothing ever gets accomplished. The problem occurs when it comes to results – we want results now and sometimes don’t have the patience to see things through. I’ve been guilty of this many times, as I’m sure you have too – its human nature! By setting goals, you can overcome this problem.
Before starting training, it’s important to define goals and decide what course of action is to be taken. It’s important to know what you want so that you can decide how you’re going to get it. By doing this, you can define what results mean to you specifically thereby giving yourself the motivation and the drive to keep on pushing when the going gets tough.
When it comes to goal setting, it is equally important to focus on both the short term and the long term. There are entire books focused on setting goals, but I’m going keep it simple and describe the two most effective techniques I use to make sure I’m on track and headed in the direction I want to be.
First of all, I write down my short term goals and leave them in a place that’s easily visible. I write down a few different types of goals; daily goals, weekly goals, a monthly goal and an over arching three month goal. By breaking your goals into smaller, more manageable tasks, it means that you won’t get overwhelmed. Every step forwards, no matter how small, gives a feeling of accomplishment and keeps the momentum going.
To keep my long term goals in check, I created what is called a vision board. In my vision board, I have pictures of the people I admire when it comes to athletic ability and also body type. For example, my vision board currently has pictures of Pavel Tsatsouline and Mike Mahler, both kettlebell athletes, as well as Daniel Craig and Ryan Reynolds, two celebrities whose physiques I admire. Whenever my motivation lapses, taking one look at that board reminds me why I’m doing what I’m doing.
When you reach a goal, there are a few important things you should do. Firstly, celebrate! Give yourself a pat on the back! Secondly, make a note of your success. Whenever you’re feeling a little down in the dumps, it’s a great feeling to look back and take in what you’ve already accomplished. And, finally, make new goals! Push the boundaries – don’t get complacent. Keep pushing yourself.
The importance of goal setting cannot be understated. This simple exercise can be the difference between failure and success.
So, open a notepad document, grab a piece of paper, whatever – you decide – and spend a few minutes writing down some goals. They don’t have to be perfect - just start writing.
Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
(A bonus technique here for those of you who might be experiencing an especially rough patch. About a year ago, I was having a bit of difficult sticking to my regime. About a year ago, I’d been injured sparring while boxing and I couldn’t find the motivation to get back into training. I decided I needed to take drastic action. I wrote out a check for $250 and gave it to my best friend.
“If I miss a single training session and I don’t have a good excuse, I want you to cash the check and spend it on something as soon as you possible can”, I told him.
Funnily enough, I haven’t missed a session since! Not for the faint of heart, but definately effective.)
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