Goal Setting For The New Year

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By Joe Bocek, Sport Fit

One of the things I enjoy most about January and the New Year is how many people have health and fitness on their minds. There is something in our human nature that likes starting fresh and using a blank slate. We like the start of a day, or a new week and month and we especially like the New Year. What I do not like about this time of year is unfortunately how many of these quests to be healthier are short lived. I put a challenge out to my group workouts that everyone who is here in January should also still be here in July. Accomplishing this may not be the easiest thing you do this year but there are some things you can do to help you get there.

Process Goals Versus Outcome Goals

I want to be a millionaire! That’s a pretty good goal, correct? Well, how do you PLAN on getting there? It is the same to say I want to lose weight or I want to drop 50 pounds or even I want to look better. How? This year, in addition to outlining what the end result should be, figure out what it is going to take to get there. For instance: I will work out 12 times this month or I will make it to the gym four days this week or even I will work with a personal trainer twice this week. When you outline a path to your success it makes it easier to follow.

Give Yourself a Deadline

There is a reason why coupons expire: to get you to use them! If we want to take action and make changes, give yourself a deadline or several deadlines in a chain towards one big goal. An example would be: I will accomplish this goal by March 1. Or maybe, I will do this by Jan.16, this by Feb. 1 and then this by Feb. 15. Giving it a deadline makes it a little more urgent.

Write it down and tell others

If you really want to make a goal real, write it down. More importantly carry it on you in your purse or wallet. Having your goals on your person daily and revisiting them can help cause some powerful changes. If you want to take it a step further, tell people your goals. Now be careful, if you do this all the time and never follow through you will just be known as silly Uncle Pete who is always telling everybody all the goals he has but he never follows through. If you are serious, ready to make a change and need a little more accountability, tell people your goals! It will help keep you accountable.

Don’t slash all your tires

If you are driving down the road on a long road trip and you get a flat tire, do you get out of the car and flatten the other three? I know this sounds ridiculous, but we do this all the time with our exercise and diet goals. “Well, I had a horrible breakfast so the day is ruined and I might as well have a bad lunch, too,” is one way of doing this. Also, “It’s Thursday and I haven’t worked out this week so I guess I will just focus on next week,” is another way of slashing those tires. Weight is not gained in a single meal and working out Thursday, Friday and Sunday in a week can yield results if we do the right things.

Now these ideas will not work unless you implement them. That is the final key. It doesn’t have to be all of them or it can be. The most important piece is action. Do something! And hopefully I will see you in July.

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