I think a New Year is a great time to think about new goals but to also reflect on the past year.
In your head, goals always sound great.
Qualify for Kona or a National competition.
PR at my upcoming marathon.
PR at my upcoming marathon.
Travel more.
Be a better planner.
Be a better planner.
Have a better attitude.
Get more active in my community.
Get a new position at work.
Get more active in my community.
Get a new position at work.
But the challenging part is not only seeing them through but also, having an action plan that allows for progress, setbacks and everything in between.
I thrive off goals. I can not function well in life without goals for goals give me meaning. They keep me motivated and they keep me enjoying the journey of life. I am never too hard on myself with my goals for I keep them as realistic as possible. And most of all, I know in life that things happen that stop me from being consistent. So the plan often changes, but never the goal.
As we enter a New Year, this is a perfect time to set short and long term goals for yourself in the following areas:
LIFE
DIET/NUTRITION
EXERCISE/TRAINING
LIFE
DIET/NUTRITION
EXERCISE/TRAINING
Consider what you have accomplished in the past as well as your strengths and areas for improvement. As an athlete, I know that being faster or stronger is not in training more but instead training smarter. For you, your goals should be similar to your passions in life. You should set goals that challenge you but also that will make you happy. You should always love what you are doing. Sure, things will always be hard at first but if you are dissatisfied with something or are seeking a new challenge in life, health, career, finances, social life, community or fitness, there's never a better time than NOW to experience something new.
Create new goals - NOW
Goal setting allows you to experience life in a new way. With new goals you will step outside your comfort zone. Life will have a new meaning and purpose and may even give you strength in other areas that you never thought possible.
Keeping things simple...goals take you somewhere new in life.
Think about the last time you accomplished something? Perhaps a weight loss goal, a training/fitness goal, a career change.
How amazing did you feel when all that hard work paid off?
When you set a realistic, practical and meaningful goal, you can take pride in your achievements and also feel strength when you overcome obstacles.
I love being able to see progress. This is why when I train for triathlons, I make sure to have specific workouts that allow me to see progress. I use my training gadgets, I do testing periodically and I also have specific workouts to challenge me to see how much progress I have made through each phase of training.
Progress, for me in triathlons, is not always about a time, speed or distance but instead, thinking about what I was doing before and where I am today. Sometimes I find great success in overcoming obstacles or stepping outside my comfort zone even if physically, I have not made significant progress.
I am so excited for you to set goals and to find joy in achieving those goals. But first you have to define your goals, write them down and know exactly where you are going and by when.
1) Think about your past successes and failures/lessons learned. Your new goals should give you more confidence in life.
2) Goals should inspire you, motive you and make you a better person.
3) Goals need an action plan. How are you going to get there and by when?
4) Who's part of your team to keep you going when times are tough or to give you a high-five when you make progress? Be sure to surround yourself with energy givers and not energy suckers.
5) How will you overcome challenges? What challenges are you expecting in the next year?
6) How will you celebrate and acknowledge success? Be sure to not dwell on setbacks and forget to celebrate the milestones.
7) What does this goal mean to you - mentally, physically, emotionally?
8) Will this goal keep your life in balance and does your action plan allow you to function well in society?
9) What kind of environment will you create to keep you moving forward?
10) What will you do when you reach your goal? What will it feel like?
Now that you have taken time to think about your goals - it's time to start your plan.
How will you get there?
When do you want to get there?
What will it mean to you when you get there?
When do you want to get there?
What will it mean to you when you get there?
What goal will change your life in 2014?
