Starting Strong
The first obstacles in the way of a goal are getting started and getting discouraged.
Getting Started
I want to lose 30 pounds. My goal is to run a 5k. I want to bench press 300 pounds. No matter what your goal is, you need a first step towards it. Finding the right first step is crucial to accomplishing your goal and it is often much smaller and simpler than you think. Nobody loses 30 pounds, runs a 5k, or benches 300 pounds in one step. You need to think about the first thing you can do to work towards your goal, also known as the first actionable step. I’ll use losing 30 pounds as an example. You first need to decide your Why. Why do I want this? Write it down someplace so you can look at it every day. I want to lose 30 pounds so I can chase my kids around without getting tired. I want to lose 30 pounds so I can get off my blood pressure medication. I want to lose 30 pounds so I can be confident in my bathing suit this summer. A second step would be to make sure you have sneakers and active wear to exercise. That is your first and second actionable steps before you ever step foot in a gym. Some examples of next steps could be finding a gym in your area and talking to a trainer about your goals. You are off.
The point here is by finding a first actionable step, you will avoid becoming overwhelmed by your end goal. You will be much more likely to succeed by breaking up your big goal into hundreds of smaller ones. If you’d like to even take it a step further, you start to realize that each decision you make either brings you closer or father away from your goal. Once your goal becomes more important than what you are sacrificing to get it, you are unstoppable.
Getting Discouraged
It’s not hard because you can’t do it, it’s hard because you’ve never done it before. After you overcome the obstacle of getting started, your next one is all about mindset. You may feel like you’re running hasn’t improved or you’ll never get your first pull-up. Maybe you finished the class workout last. What you need to know is that every time you place one foot in front of the other, pull up on the bar, or show up for class that you are moving towards your goal. Don’t be discouraged That struggling feeling is you pushing your limits. There is no stigma in struggle but quite the opposite. We only find new strength in adversity. The harder the workout, the faster it is bringing you towards your goals. Once you make this association, you will seek out new challenges and unlock new doors towards your goals.
Ask your coaches to help you make a plan with safe progressions towards your goals. A strict pull-up begins with a ring row. A 5k begins with a 200m jog. If it seems hard, you should get excited. You are about to get better. The whole TILT community will be cheering you on.
-Coach Sean
