How To Set Goals You’ll Actually Achieve
Setting Goals for Growth
Setting and revisiting goals is a key part of growing. Setting a goal aligns focus and can instigate a new behavior- hopefully a good, new behavior. There is also the notion that being focused on the things you want to achieve provides a foundation of motivation. I’m not referring to motivation as the ‘feeling’; I am referring to motivation as the ‘why’. The ‘why’ is the reason you show upand do the work, even when it’s not a particularly motivating day.
You know the old cliche, “without a goal, you’re headed nowhere fast?” It kinda rings true though, doesn’t it? Let’s just say you go to the supermarket without a list or any idea of what you need to buy. What are the chances that you get home with the foods that you need and none of the foods that you don’t? Now let’s say you looked through the pantry, thought about meals for the week, and made a list of things you needed before you went to the grocery store. It’s comical how much more successful that shopping trip would be. I know it’s a silly example, but it applies to so many aspects of our daily lives.
When you signed up to be a member of CrossFit Sanitas, or the Tuesday night running club or dropped in at The Little Yoga Studio- it was probably some version of, ‘I want to be fitter, healthier, take care of my body, etc.’
In order to follow through with what you want- you should set a goal. A specific goal.
Do you want to be fitter? Strategically think through how many days of the week you are going to train at the gym, commit to challenging yourself and seek knowledge about your fitness. Gather the resources you need in order to be successful. #knowyourgoal
You'll Never Accomplish Goals You Don't Really Care About
So you have a goal. Next, the next question you should ask yourself is why? Why do you want it?
Something that I have committed my life to and enjoy most is the genuine pursuit of fitness and wellness. This means that I am constantly finding things that I enjoy about fitness, always learning new things as research evolves with nutrition and supplements, and want to always hold myself accountable to doing the hard work to achieve. The why? Simple. I want to still be able to enjoy life in my old age; I want to avoid disease when and where possible; I want to be capable of jumping in on any adventure.
Enough about me- what is your why. Do you want to overcome your predisposition to type-2 diabetes? Are you someone who experiences recurring injuries, and want to end that cycle? Are you intimidated by a CrossFit competition, marathon, or IronMan and want the confidence to tackle something prestigious? Be motivated by something truly great… your own passions.
Commit To It
Is the fear of "biting off more than you can chew'' or "getting in over your head" intimidating you from setting some lofty goals? That’s okay, but let’s get after it anyway. Is there something that you’ve had your eye on for a while but somehow doesn’t make it to your list of goals?
A goal isn’t everything though- in fact, you can set yourself up for success by outlining the steps to reach any goal. These include
Learn how to get to the finish line
Create a plan
Commit to the process &
Have a coach keep you on track
Let’s now regroup and think about nutrition, after all- I am a nutritionist. What is the goal? Why do you want it? Are you ready to commit?
Oftentimes, my clients come to me and have a goal. Once we establish their motivation, now it’s time to commit. Part of commitment is drawing up a plan, strategy, structure, etc. Challenges come when you don’t feel like doing it. A support is there to guide you back on track with your motivation. What about the day you have questions, or seek knowledge? A coach is there to teach you and navigate challenges. What about the day you cheat on yourself? An accountability partner puts the wheels back on and keeps the wagon going forward.
Grab a pen and jot down what your goals are. If you can’t rattle them off, maybe you need to visit step 1- think about what you want to achieve and set a goal. In the same way, jot down what motivates you. It can be simple. Now, what do you need to put into place in order to achieve your goal, or at the very least- begin moving in that direction?
Starting Your Nutrition Journey With Me
If you’ve never worked with a nutrition coach before, we start by jumping in feet-first with about 45-60 minutes of talk. We chat about your medical history, diet, weight management, athletic endeavors, and even food preferences. We will work together to set both long and short-term goals. Depending on your goals, we collect two methods of ‘measuring’ progress toward your goals (body composition scans, calipers, circumference measurements, photos, etc.). Lastly, we draw up a nutrition plan for you to follow. Everything is tailored to you! Contact me via email below!