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Achieving your goals is not that difficult when you follow these simple steps. This article regarding Goals explains the difference between wishing, planning, and achieving.
There is no sales pitch in this post, I’m writing it because I truly want you to set worthy goals, and then look back and proudly acknowledge that you achieved them. I want others to see the difference in you and then be inspired enough by it to make positive changes in their own life.
Many people wander through life not only not reaching their goals, but never really establishing “real” goals at all. Real goals are thought out, they’re planned, and like the blueprints of a building, you have put some thought into the project ahead of time before you actually start building it.
Instead, many people espouse what I call “soft goals”, which really aren’t goals at all. They will say things like, “by this time next year I want”, or, “I’d give anything to have a body like that”. There is nothing wrong with expressing a desire but until you actually take the time to establish exactly how you are going to get there, then you might as well be wishing on a star. Soft goals work in Disney movies only, but in the every day world they are called dreams.
There is no sales pitch in this post, I’m writing it because I truly want you to set worthy goals fnd then look back and proudly acknowledge that you achieved them. I want others to see the difference in your own life and then be inspired enough by it to make positive changes in their own life.
I want to briefly outline a few points that I consider essential when setting a goal.
1. The goal must be measurable. To simply say that in x amount of time “I want to look like” is a subjective goal. You cannot measure “look like”, and if you cannot measure it, you will never truly know when you have reached it. Real goals are measurable. Physique goals are measurable in terms of pounds on a scale, inches on a tape measure, or weight or reps in a gym.
2. Set the goal in stone. This simply means that the goal is fixed and doesn’t change as we approach it. Many people set physique goals for instance only to revise the goal as they approach it. We may decide that whatever we initially wanted isn’t big enough, or little enough, lean enough, strong enough, and on and on. This is not only unfair to ourselves, but also sets us up for immediate failure as we try to reach a moving target. Allow yourself to not only set a goal, but to reach it.
3. Real goals are reasonable. A goal must present a challenge, but it must also be reasonably obtainable. Setting the bar too high may inspire for a little while, but this approach usually ends in frustration. Be fair to yourself by setting reasonable goals.
4. Goals should be progressive. This simply means that if you have a very ambitious goal, there should be several smaller goals that progress toward the ultimate goal. If for instance I am a beginning runner, it would make more sense for me to set a goal to run a 5k prior to running a marathon.
5. Goals should lead you in a positive direction. Goals that are pursued for selfish reasons are often unfulfilling when reached. Do not become so obsessed in the pursuit of a goal that your family or friends suffer as a result. The cost of what is missed in terms of time with family can never be calculated. If you are a parent and preparing for a physique competition, try to make it a family event. Trophies are sources of pride for awhile, but eventually gather dust on forgotten shelves. I literally have boxes of trophies that I would gladly trade for a few more moments with people who are now gone. Maintaining balance in your life will lead to fewer regrets.
As you step into the New Year, I hope that you will set worthy goals that are reasonable, measureable, and that progressively move you in a positive direction. This simple approach will set you apart from the multitude of people who set soft goals only. Rather than hoping and wishing that something will happen, you will be making it happen.
Take responsibility for your life, you own it.
Happy New Year
Kerry Dulin
Natural Bodybuilding at its Finest, Lift for Life.com
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