As a kid we are always told to,”shoot for the stars, and aim for the moon.” Great analogy, it really is. BUT what does it mean?? For me… it means to set goals but always aim bigger and higher. The one thing that no one ever teaches you is HOW! How do we set goals and how do we get there? Will it be quick? Will it take 100 years?! Everyone has an idea of what they want to be and how they want to be but many people lack the in between steps and knowledge to achieve the goal.
I see this more often than not when it comes to fitness goals. Clients will say, “I want to tone”, “I want to lift heavier”, “I want a HUGE butt”, or “I want to lose weight”. While these are all GREAT goals and very possible, what is the end result? SO I ask, “what is your desired weight?”, “what are your desired measurements/pants size?”, “what is your goal PR for X workout?”. Those are all MEASURABLE questions.
**MEASURABLE** is the key word!
Your goal must be 2 main things: MEASURABLE and ATTAINABLE.
What do I mean by MEASURABLE?! There has to be a limit, a number or measurement. “Tone” is not a number, a Tone body in my eyes is different then Karen’s definition of “tone”. However, if a client says they want to fit in their size 4 pants that they wore before they had children, now THAT is a measurable goal. “HUGE” is not a measurement either, one client can be in search of a SMALL PEACH maybe size 4 jeans and another client can be in search of a WAGON maybe size 8 jeans. But remember each client’s perception of “HUGE” is clearly different.
I even had issues with measurable goals when I started my fitness journey. I wanted to “lift heavy”, and at first “heavy” to me was squatting more than just the bar. I had no set number in my head other than “more than the bar”. Once I set my goal of squats to 135lbs (1 plate on each side) I had something to work toward. I was able to slowly add weight, increase my leg day workouts to make an emphasis on strengthening my legs. Once I did all of that it was easy for me to track and eventually with time hit my PR of 135lbs.
ALSO remember when setting goals they don’t have to ALWAYS be FITNESS related! These can be life goals!!!! Saving X amount of dollars in X months, or making X amount of payments to pay off a credit card!
When there is a clear end and a clear path of what you are wanting to do and what you desire to achieve, it is much easier to put the processes in place to reach that goal. Everyone has a different perception of looks and ideas, so the measurement is imperative when setting goals because your ideal “goal” is going to look very different for the next person.
OKAY, now ATTAINABLE!!
This means you are making your goal realistic and achievable. This is where reality takes a huge factor in decision making. You want to make sure the goal you are setting is achievable in the “X” time frame you give yourself, and that it can ACTUALLY be done in that time frame, appropriately. For example, losing 20lbs in 1 week, is not very attainable especially if you are doing it naturally. If you were able to lose 20lbs in 1 week, everyone would be doing it AND it would probably NOT be very HEALTHY….
AGAIN not ALWAYS fitness related. In terms of life goals, say saving money for example, if you plan on saving $100 a week but you know that after paying bills you do not have $100 to save then you need to reevaluate the amount you’re trying to save!
Setting attainable goals ALSO helps with motivation and the ability to complete and reach your goal. If you are setting a goal that you know you are not going to be able to reach, you are already setting yourself up for failure before even trying. Give yourself TIME!! Progress and results do not happen overnight for anything.
Remember these 2 simple things when setting short term and long term goals for yourself! It will help WONDERS along your journey.
DONT HESITATE … BE A GOAL DIGGER!!!
XOXO SAMMY JO
@SAMMYJOFIT – IG