Before You Set A Goal

Before you set a goal - a small blog based on some uncommon sense!

I got up early this morning because I know many of you reading this are ahead of the UK time zone and are probably well on your way to enjoying the New Year festivities. Tomorrow morning you may wake up feeling a bit jaded and wishing the next 12 months will be transformational. But before you go setting some big, life-changing, goals, give me a few minutes of your time.

The Problem With Resolutions

We're about to head into Zombie Season. 😂

Over the next few weeks, keep an eye out for people torturing their bodies. They'll be getting up unfeasibly early, jogging, stretching and looking lifeless. In short they will look miserable. WHY? Because they set a resolution to lose weight, exercise more and feel ten years younger!

A resolution is a Wannabe Goal. So let's look at the anatomy of a goal that is not going to be achieved.

• They're overly ambitious - I don't want to stop anyone from setting a BHAG (a big, hairy, audacious goal); but if you are going to avoid feeling demoralised within a week, the first goal needs to be achievable.
• They're not rooted in reality - If the new you is going to emerge, it needs to grow in a strong and sustainable way. In short, it needs strong roots. In Goal terms, this just means a solid appreciation of where we are starting.
• They're ignoring the past - None of us need to start from scratch. The past has a lot of fantastic information for us. It can intelligently inform our goals and boost our level of enthusiasm.

The last point is crucial. Even if the past is littered with poor achievement, half-hearted attempts and outright failures, there are still a number of clues that can help us solve the mystery of developing life-changing goals - if we look for them. In this week's video, "Before You Set A Goal", I've provided a few questions you can ask yourself to frame a great review of the year gone by and determine what you might like to commit to going forward. You'll be surprised at how much rich material 2020 has provided for setting great goals in 2021. 

How To Achieve A Goal

Setting a goal is like building a house. It needs firm foundations, it needs great groundwork! Most importantly, every house build is broken down into an almost limitless set of smaller goals, starting with the foundations.

To wrap this up quickly and get you started, here are a few things you can do to ensure this year, your resolutions feel more achievable and energising instead of energy-sapping! Let's continue the idea of a health goal.

1. Don't look back in anger - Pay attention to the great song and, as you review what has happened, go easy on yourself. We are all doing the best with the cards we're dealt. 2020 in particular has been a tough year for many. Only identifying the things you feel you did badly will cloud your judgement and obscure your view. You'll miss some of the hidden gems I was talking about earlier.
2. One day at a time - What's your goal for the first day? If you've set yourself a fitness and weight goal, ask yourself, "have I been neglecting my body and filling it with gorgeous festive treats?" If so, make your first day all about planning, stretching and having a snack-free day.
3. What's the story? - (I promise I didn't set out with an Oasis tribute blog in mind!) Capture your progress. Not just on a chart or a spreadsheet. Take photos - of yourself and of the places you pass through in pursuit of your goal. Create a storyboard. It could be a physical thing on the fridge door or a digital thing on your favourite social media platform. On the darker days when your enthusiasm wanes, your story will act as a great motivator.
4. Imagine - Spend some time inside your head. Imagine what it will feel like to be healthier, fitter, mobile and lean. The more time you can spend imagining this vividly, the more likely you are to keep going beyond the first couple of weeks. Flood your brain with a multi-sensory feast - don't just see yourself, what will you smell along the route? What sounds will you hear as you jog along the seafront? Most importantly, tap into what it will feel like to be jogging fluidly. How great will you feel to be moving effortlessly and aching less every day?

Bathe in the feelings. Work every day feeling like it has already happened - like it's a done deal. You'll be amazed at how many daily goals you'll soon exceed.

Drop me a line below and let me know how you get on. I'd love to hear your stories.

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