Last night I did a goal setting exercise. Because to achieve a goal, I can’t just cut calories and workout from day to day. Each day needs to form part of a bigger picture, so that I can feel that the small things that I do each day, each hour even, contribute to a larger goal.
I wanted to commit to paper exactly what I wanted to achieve – no matter how difficult or impossible it seems right now. So I started by drawing a little stick figure, on a big piece of paper, and surrounding it with words and phrases that spelt out exactly what SUCCESS looked like to me. It has things like:
I fit my skinny jeans!
My triceps are ripped!
I workout every day!
I love exercise!
I eat a lot of fruit and veges
I don’t crave sugar
I have loads of energy
I wrote down everything I could see becoming my reality when I achieve my goal. This got me excited about setting my goal, and also helped me to clarify exactly what I wanted to achieve. Or how else would I achieve it?
So I now know where I want to be, but how do I get there? What a huge task, how overwhelming! So what I needed to do next, was break those lofty goals down into actions. Things that I could do to work towards that goal, TODAY, tomorrow, next week, and every week after that until I achieve my goal.
Now this is the hard bit. First, I wrote down everything that I don’t like about my body and behaviours. This list had things like:
My legs are like little trunks!
My tummy is flabby and bulging alll over the place!
I have no evergy
I have no motivation
I have no body confidence
I have low self esteem
I drink too much wine
I don’t go to the gym
I put myself down a lot
I talk myself out of exercise
It was quite sad to look at the long list of things i dislike about myself. But the next thing I did, made me feel great – because I could take action right this minute, and instantly feel better about myself by doing that (and give me the courage to make start). For each of the items on that list, I wrote what I could do RIGHT THIS MINUTE, to help me achieve my goals. It looked like this:
My legs are like little trunks! Add exercises that will burn legs and bum fat, to your workout plan My tummy is flabby and bulging alll over the place! Plan less cheese and wine in diet (none tonight!) and add a few different ab workouts to your plan I have no energy Eat iron rich foods & keep taking iron supplements (I have anaemia) I have no motivation Find and add motivational images to your blog I have no body confidence Be thankful for what you have now! I have low self esteem Write a list of things you like about yourself now. I drink too much wine Don’t drink wine, tonight! I don’t go to the gym Plan a gym session for tomorrow (go on, just do it) I put myself down a lot No more negative self talk, ever! I talk myself out of exercise Write a note to yourself to remind you how badly this affects your goal. Put it in your wallet, and read it when you think you are talking yourself out of exercising
So I did all that, last night. I felt great! I feel like I am on the way already. I also have a clear picture in my head about where I want to get to, and how I’m going to get there. That’s so important when you have a big goal.
Another great resource: Leo from Zen Habits has his own training blog which I urge you to take a look at if you want inspiration. He has some great tips although it serves the same purpose as my blog – a way to commit yourself not just to paper, but to the web, and anyone else who is reading out there.
Filed under: Weight loss | Tagged: Goal setting, help me, i don't know where to start, Weight loss, where do i start? | Leave a Comment »
