Setting goals is an important part to being successful with an exercise program. Your goals allows you to set a point of reference to where you want to be, and then to create a plan of action to get there. This point of reference also allows you to determine if your daily choices are positive or negative in reaching your goal.
The goal is very important because when you are working to create a healthy lifestyle there will not be a straight path from where you are now to where you want to be. Life is going to happen and there will be challenges that will slow and sometimes stop your progress. Knowing that these challenges are going to happen allows you to create the right mindset as you work toward your goal.
We have been programmed in our society to expect and see immediate results, and not work hard to achieve them. This is especially true in the health and fitness industry. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements that mislead us to believe that we can achieve results without working hard and putting in the effort… example: take this pill and you can lose weight and eat whatever you want, get a full body workout in 10 minutes, follow this start of the art diet… it’s easy, no hard work required, it’s simple. Blah Blah Blah!!! These advertisements drive me CRAZY. There are no quick fixes. You have to do the work and put in the effort.
“Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Work, continuous work and hard work, is the only way to accomplish results that last.” Hamilton Holt
Understand that your time, hard work, and effort are essential to be successful at reaching your goals. When you do the work and put in the effort you are also developing the right habits and learning the necessary skills to maintain your results. Do the work!
It’s normal to get discouraged and intimidated when you think about the time and effort it’s going to take to reach your goal. I want to give you another way to think about this. Think back to what was going on in your life a year ago. Take a few minutes to think about this. It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago, right? Now think ahead in the future about a goal. Doesn’t this seem like you will never get there? My point is that when you look back in the past it always seems like yesterday, and the future always seems a long way off. Keep this in mind as you are working toward your goal, because when you get there you will realize that the time went by very quickly and it wasn’t as bad as you originally thought.
This is about empowering you so you can make the choices to be successful creating a healthy lifestyle change. You are going to have failures along the way. Embrace them and learn from them. They are important to your long-term success. Be proud of yourself too, for having the courage and determination, and taking initiative to working toward something that will positively change your life. I’m proud of you!
Work Hard, Stay focused, and enjoy the Process!
Chris