WHY IS IT so important to set goals?

Everyone has different reasons for setting goals. I will share some of mine. Perhaps you will be inspired to find your own reasons.

• Happiness – People that set goals and achieve them are generally happier than those that don’t. There is a natural high that comes with goal setting and achievement. No chemical can reproduce this feeling.

• Reaching God-given potential – I believe it is truly a shame not to reach our potential. Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. said, “Most people die with their music still in them.” This is really sad to me and I wouldn’t want it to become a reality in my case.

• My family and other relationships – This is probably my biggest WHY. What I mean by my “Why” is what drives me—the deep reason for striving towards my goal. 

What are your reasons for setting goals? When you know what drives you, and especially when you are aware of your biggest WHY, you gain clarity on what makes your goals worth the challenges that come with reaching them.

There are many teachings available on goal setting. Most of them are overly complex. Here is a simple approach you can take.

1. Make your goals specific – Goals should be specific because they will have a much greater chance of success than a general goal. An example of a general goal is, “Get in shape.” A specific goal would be “Lose 15 pounds.” You’ll want to set specific goals so you know when you’ve accomplished them. If you set a general goal of “Lose weight,” what happens if you lose an ounce? You might not be satisfied even though you technically “lost weight.”

2. Make your goals measurable – All goals should have a date attached to them. A goal without a deadline is just a dream. Having a target date to reach your goal will create some healthy pressure to keep you on track. It’s OK if you don’t hit your goal in time. You’ll still be further along than if you hadn’t set the goal in the first place.

3. State your goals in the present tense – Goals should be stated in the present tense. This way you can visualize it as a reality.

By incorporating these three guidelines into your goal setting, your likelihood to succeed in reaching your goals increases dramatically.

Where do you want to go? Who do you need to help you get there? Watch this quick video on how to achieve your goals by playing to your strengths. Do what you like, what you are good at, to make sure you stay consistent!

There is a Thomas Edison quote in our gym that says:

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

To live a life that is truly satisfying and different than most requires work.

There is no easy path to results and success.

Here’s the weird part that many people miss though.

It’s actually easier in the long-term to do the work now. For example, someone skips all their workouts because they’re too hard and then develops a health problem that is even harder.

It’s actually not even harder in the short-term. If you really think about it, all of the 4 different levels of action require some work or energy.

Let’s cover them and then discuss which is best.

1. No action – No action will lead you nowhere. You simply stop doing anything that will lead you closer to your goals

2. Moving backwards – People want to avoid anything negative associated with taking action and so they move away from where they want to go.

3. Normal action – This is taking enough action to appear kind of like everyone else. This is where most people are. They never do enough to create significant change in their life.

4. Massive action – Those who take massive action are willing to be different. They know if they want to live like nobody else, they have to act like nobody else. They also know that it’s more than worth it.

Decide now you will do things and take action that others won’t so you can make 2020 your best year yet.

Often little changes you can make to your lifestyle and habits can lead to significant improvements in your results. It’s not necessary to do a complete overhaul on your life. Sometimes, very minor tweaks to what you’re doing now can bring about impressive results.

Here’s an example. We have a member at TBBC named Craig. I noticed he was looking leaner so I began asking him about it. He mentioned that he lost 15 pounds during the holiday season!

Then he began telling me about the small changes he’d been making. Things like:

• Cutting down on processed carbs

• Adding one cardio session per week

• Reducing alcohol

He didn’t say this but I also noticed a difference with his effort level. My assumption is the positive habit changes have given him more confidence to push it at the gym just a little extra. This leads to even better results. It’s all a very positive cycle.

Here’s another example. If a horse runs in a horse race and wins by just a hair, it earns 10 times the prize money of the second place horse. It doesn’t mean that it was 10 times faster. In fact, it was only a hair faster.

In the same way, just one or 2 small but positive changes can make an extraordinary difference in your health and life!

If you’re doing something and putting your name on it, make sure it’s pretty 🙂 Here’s a quick video to remind you that anything you do, you should do it the best you can!

First off, we’re just 2 days from Christmas so Merry Merry to all who celebrate. It truly is the most wonderful time of year.

It’s also a time when many people reflect as the year is winding down and look forward to new beginnings.

We know that most New Year’s resolutions fail within a few weeks so I wanted to share some things that might help you stay the course.

Yes you need to have a goal. The reason is quite simple. If you don’t have a goal, you’ll never know if you’re closer or further from where you want to be.

We should all be asking ourselves questions like this:

• What does is mean to be fit and healthy?

• What does it mean to be a good spouse?

• What does it mean to be a good parent?

• What does it mean to be a good friend?

• What does it mean to be successful in my career?

If we don’t know the answers to these questions, progress in any area is nearly impossible.

But it’s not just having the goal.

Most people can get excited about a goal but they don’t get too excited about the process.

You mean I have to wake up earlier to exercise and be a little tired?

The magic isn’t in the goal itself. It’s in the process.

Nothing worthwhile is accomplished without a commitment to a process.

The other area that’s often missed is the people that can help us.

There are people who have accomplished what it is we desire.

I can’t think of many better steps than modeling successful behavior.

No matter your situation there is someone who has been where you are and has overcome.

The key is being willing to acknowledge that we need help.

Once you acknowledge that, you’ll be on your way.

Most people model exactly what doesn’t work. They follow their friends and do diet after diet that is destined to fail.

Watch this video for some smart tips on setting those New Years goals! If you really want to hit those goals, make sure you are setting yourself up for success.

We hear it all the time but it bears repeating. Failure is an event and not a person.

Nobody likes to fail but the reality is that it is a prerequisite for success.

There is no forward motion without action and it’s impossible to take continuous action without failing.

In your quest for a healthier body or any other improvement, you will make mistakes and not always hit the mark but the key is learning what you can from it and keep going.

I recently met a guy and he had a cool tattoo on his forearm. It was a series of arrows. I asked him what it was about and he said, “It’s to remind me that it’s all about focus and forward motion. The past is in the past.”

I’m sure you heard about Thomas Edison attempting unsuccessfully 1,000 times to invent the light bulb.

That was really the only difference between Edison and others who could’ve invented the light bulb. You’ve never heard of the others because they gave up. Edison simply looked at it as a learning experience. He learned 1,0000 ways not to do it and each unsuccessful attempt was a step on his journey.

So how do you view failure? Do you let it keep you down or use it as a springboard for success?

It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve tried before. All of that was teaching you what doesn’t work and turning you into who you are today – The version of yourself who is now ready to live your best life regardless of the circumstances.

We only have a couple of weeks left in 2019. You don’t need to wait until Jan. 1st to make a decision. Make a decision today to create your ideal future.

Are you feeling overwhelmed with the holidays?

What gives? We’re supposed to feel so joyful this time of year and while we do have moments of that, we often get overwhelmed with all of the festivities (parties, gift giving, etc.).

I was recently talking with some members who I’m taking through a special program and this topic came up.

I wanted to share some takeaways with you that hopefully will help.

• Focus on the main thing. Ask yourself, since I can only do one thing at a time (multi-tasking is a myth), what is the single best use of my time right now?

• Clear the clutter. Try to only have in front of you what you need to do. Move anything that might be distracting out of your sight. Turn off notifications and you will have a clearer head.

• Give yourself grace. You won’t be able to get it all done. Nobody can. We all have limited time, energy, and resources. Take a deep breath and realize it’s OK.

• Play to your strengths. Focus on the things that really only you can do.

• Ask for help. That might be someone helps you with your load or maybe it’s another type of support but don’t be afraid to ask.

Let me know which of these resonates with you the most and if you need help/support with a fitness goal for the new year, hit reply and let me know.