Let’s put it out there – setting Goals can be tough!

 

While we have the opportunity to create and set out on conquering new goals each day, the start of a New Year seems to fuel to the fire for change. This is a great opportunity to harness that motivation, and hold us accountable, starting today.

 

Let’s start by writing down SMART goals, whether that’s in an excel spreadsheet, a note in our phone, or scribbled on a piece of scrap paper, let’s put them where we can see them every day.

 

SMART Goals are:

Specific

Measured

Actionable

Realistic

Time Bound

 

For example, we can take a simple goal like, “I want to start exercising more”, and refine it.

 

How can we make this goal specific? What, specifically are we trying to do? Where will this take place, and most importantly, why do we want to achieve this goal?

·       I will start taking CrossFit classes at TILT in Sudbury in order to lose body fat

 

Next, let’s make this goal measurable. How will we evaluate if we are truly working towards our goal?

·       I will track my body fat percentage (BFP) using an InBody machine

 

Actionable: What amount of growth do you plan to achieve? What actions can we take to set ourselves up for success?

·       I will take the 5:30pm CrossFit class three times per week

 

Is our goal realistic? Is it even possible? If I commit to the above plan, will I improve?

·       If our BFP is currently 20%, we know that setting a goal of a 2% BFP loss is feasible, where a 10% BFP loss or more would be unrealistic

 

And finally, time bound. When will we collect evidence of our accomplishment?

·       I will attain this goal in 6 months

Putting it all together, our SMART goal would be:

To take the 5:30 class at CrossFit TILT in Sudbury three times a week in order to lose 2% BFP over the course of the next 6 months which will be tracked using an InBody machine.

 

After acquiring a list of SMART goals, let’s stop for a second and think about how we can devise a systematic approach to properly prepare for this new venture.

 

We could build out our work schedule to make sure there are no conflicts with our exercise plan. We could gather any necessary gym items we might need, like sneakers and gym clothes, and pick a class to attend that has 15 minutes of cushion time in case traffic is bad. This ensures us that, on the day we plan to begin, we know that we have purposefully navigated some speed bumps that could have otherwise hindered us. Of course, other things outside of our control will always come up, but if we respond to them with an open mind, we can certainly overcome them without deviating from our path.

 

Let’s make right now, the ultimate time to begin taking action on our journey to greatness.