The Final Third of 2019
Did you know that 92 percent of New Year’s Resolutions fail?
As we sit here two-thirds of the way through 2019, do you fall into that category?
When it comes to New Year’s Resolutions, there are many reasons why people fail.
Sometimes it’s just because it’s hard, life gets in the way, they lose motivation and the list goes on.
One of the main reasons why people fail to reach their goals though is they don’t plan well.
A favorite quote of mine is “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
Listen, not everything is going to go exactly as you want it. Life doesn’t operate linearly. However, you are much more likely to hit your target if you at least know where you’re aiming as opposed to leaving it up to chance. If you leave it up to chance, you WILL NOT reach your goal.
So as we sit here starting the final third of the year and hitting the home stretch of the summer, it’s time to reassess those goals that you set earlier in the year.
To execute anything you need a plan and to have a plan, you need to know what you’re aiming for.
When it comes to goal setting, you must first have a WHY behind it.
Why do you want to accomplish your goal? If the goal has no meaning, waking up at 430 am will only last so long until you lose motivation. If you have a health-related goal to lose weight because you want to set an example for your kids, that’s a good reason. When setting a goal, make sure you know WHY you are setting and make sure it is strong.
Once you’ve figured out your WHY, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. You probably have heard of the acronym S.M.A.R.T. It stands for Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant,and Time-Bound.
Your goals must fit all of these because if they do not, the chances of failure skyrocket.
Let’s break them down.
What does it mean to be specific? Well, it can’t be just that you want to lose weight. Or you want to run. How much weight are you looking to lose or how far do you want to run? Get specific. Would you throw a dart blindly? No. You’d have a target. We are number-centric people and sometimes this can be a detriment when it comes to the scale but with a specific number in mind, it helps you work toward something.
To be measurable, you must be able to see your progress. If you can’t see your progress, then how do you know if you are moving in the right direction? For weight loss goals, are you losing pounds on the scale? For running, are your times improving or are you running longer distances? Measure your progress.
This is a struggle for many as the goals just aren’t attainable. You want to lose 50 pounds in 3 weeks. Unless you cut off a limb, that is not happening. You need something that is realistic. You want to lose 20 pounds in 15 weeks is an attainable goal with an average of 1.5 pounds per week. That’s attainable.
Is the goal relevant? What you are working toward has to have some meaning to you. If it does not have any meaning or relevance, why are you doing it? If you have zero interest in running a marathon, why are you doing it? Find something that fits you.
Lastly, the goal needs to be time-bound. Without a time constraint, you can keep putting things off until it no longer matters. Deadlines drive us. If you have a deadline at work, you get it done before then. If you didn’t have that deadline, you’d probably put it off as it’s not that important.
Each of your goals needs to have a WHY and needs to fit the S.M.A.R.T criteria.
Now that you know how to set your BIG goal, do it. Follow these guidelines on setting it and I promise you it will help you get started.
So now that you’ve set your goal or maybe just adjusted your goal from the beginning of 2019, how do you get there?
You can have the greatest goal in the world and these grand plans, but if you don’t execute on it, it means nothing.
It’s time to take action.
Your BIG goal alone can be very overwhelming.
I get it. I’m the person who gets overwhelmed with more than five choices on a restaurant menu.
To reach your big goal, it’s time to set three small goals, which will help you in your day-to-day life.
As a creature of habit and someone who loves routine, having your day-to-day life in order is crucial. When things are in order, you operate better. Show me the person who operates better under chaos and I will show you a unicorn.
What should these small goals look like?
For example, if your big goal is to lose 50 pounds in 12 months, some small goal examples could be:
I will attend a small group training session at least twice per week.
I will get at least 10,000 steps for at least five days.
I will do my meal prep on Sunday mornings.
These three small goals done consistently will help you with weight loss.
Whether you have a financial, professional or health goal, this works.
Now go ahead and set your small goals and make sure they relate to your BIG goal and will help you get there.
Lastly, it’s time to remember two things:
Don’t Go All or Nothing – If you go all or nothing, you will fail. Life will throw you curveballs and you will miss a day here and there. The key is not to let a day missed turn into two days because that is the start of a new habit. Focus on progress and not perfection.
1 Percent Better Every Day – This is the mantra of Adam Clark Fitness. Nothing happens overnight. No one gets rich overnight, no one loses a ton of weight overnight, no one gains a ton of strength overnight. It takes time. If you focus on getting a little better each day, it will add up and help you reach your goals.
Now get out there and go crush your goals! I look forward to hearing how you are going to crush the rest of 2019.
#success #personaltrainer #adamclarkfitness #fitnesschallenge #fitness #howtosetbiggoals #goalsetting