5 Keys Of Goal Setting: From The Gym To The Rest Of Your Life March 17th, 2008
- I will gain 10 lbs by June.
- I will cut my body fat down to 7% by the end of the year.
- I will add 6 inches to my vertical leap by next season.
As a personal trainer, I know it’s important to help your client develop clear goals for their workouts. As readers of Canned Fitness, I look at you as my client, and I am going to help you reach your goals. But first, in order for you to reach those goals, you have to set some first!
Goal setting is not easy. It takes practice, but once it is mastered, you will begin to see results quicker. More importantly, you can utilize your goal setting techniques that you apply in the gym to every other area of your life, such as work and relationships. These are 5 keys which you must keep in mind, however, when making goals.
1. Specifics are key - exercise without goals is like driving to an unknown place without a map; yeah, you might get there, but it might be by accident or it might take forever. Maps eliminate all the uncertainties. Goals do the same. But your goals must be clear. Simply going into the gym and saying “I want to lose weight”, won’t cut it. Specific goals include:
Notice the difference? Not only is it specific, but it incorporates a deadline to help motivate. By being as specific as possible, you are able to chart your progress, which leads us to. . .
2. Measure your progress - in order to ensure that you are on the right path, it is necessary to measure your progress along the way. While it may seem like common sense, this portion is often overlooked. Many people may set a clear goal, but won’t look at how they are doing until their deadline is close. The problem with that is if you are not in a position to meet your goals, you won’t know until it is too late.
3. Don’t kid yourself - if you have goals, make them realistic. This does NOT mean don’t try to push yourself, but be reasonable. Having a goal to lose 10 pounds in one week is not realistic. Goals like these are bad for two reasons; first, they don’t serve any purpose because they probably cannot be reached, and second, they can be dangerous because of the potential to harm yourself to try to meet them.
4. Be certain - fitness should be something personal. Don’t set goals with the idea of pleasing others in mind. Know that your goals are what YOU want, not what someone else wants. If you want to lose weight, do it because you want to do it, not because you think people will like you more.
5. Energy is key - go after your goals with zeal! Allen Iverson always says that he plays every game like its his last, and look at the success he has enjoyed in the NBA. He’s a former MVP, All-Star Game MVP, league scoring champ, and he will definitely be a first ballot hall of famer after he retires. It’s because, every night, he leaves everything out on the basketball court. Do the same. Every time you go to the gym, give it everything you got. Then, apply that same principle to every other aspect of your life.
Tags: goals, reach your goals, Goal setting, Specific goals, progress, fitness, Energy
- Posted by anwar
- Tagged motivation, tips
March 19th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
[…] If you have a goal, you need to stick to it. It’s that simple. But I would not suggest you make that goal be to lose weight. Instead, focus on losing fat. Weight loss is a fickle subject, and it is […]