Ok. I’m a bit embarrassed that I haven’t posted in the blog since last March….yikes! Mea Culpa.
The year just passed was very busy personally and professionally and 2020 is shaping up to be a new high water mark for FitForce. To stay ahead of the curve, and to accomplish the goals I’ve set out will require focus and determination - starting with the blog!
Goal setting and motivation are timeless topics that can fill volumes:
Set goals;
Set big, audacious goals
Forget goal setting
Motivation is essential;
Motivation is CRAP - Discipline is the tonic!
You say “Tomato” I say “Lycopene”. A personal philosophy is like a diet: there is no one-size fits all but BALANCE as a guiding principle is a great place to start. With that in mind, let’s take a look at goal setting.
Our words shape our thoughts and our thoughts shape our actions. The way we think about ourselves will determine what version shows up in 2020. This in part describes the premise of a timeless classic on the topic Think and Grow Rich. We’ll forego the emphasis on wealth-building and instead focus on a couple of the gems.
The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat. If you find yourself lacking persistence, this weakness may be remedied by building a stronger fire under your desires.
As with many of the points repeated throughout the book, this quote suggests a couple important concepts, namely, desire and effort. New Year’s Resolutions are frequently an exercise in futility because we fail to grasp the opposing forces of desire for what we currently have and desire for what we think we want. One side of that calculus has to dominate or we maintain status quo. As to the quote, effort - what kind and how much, represents the “special sauce” if we’re going to realize our goals. Another gem from the author:
You have ABSOLUTE CONTROL over but one thing, and that is your thoughts. …, If you fail to control your own mind, you may be sure you will control nothing else.
The words we use to describe ourselves and our desire, as well as the effort we’re willing to expend, will shape how we think about ourselves, both the current and the future-tense version. Ultimately, those thoughts will shape our actions. So let’s try an exercise together!
Action Plan
Start with some time to quietly reflect. Focus on a couple (keep the list short!) goals you’d like to achieve in the near term - six to twelve months.
Then consider what has kept you from having this thing that’s so important January 2, 2020 but not in the previous 365 days? For instance, if the goal is to lose weight (anybody?!), have you been seduced by the comfort of eating whatever you like or not exercising?
State your goal as a desire.
Make it reasonable and time sensitive.
Write it down, read it and repeat it out loud to yourself several times a day.
While you’re at it, write down and read/repeat the most important steps you’ll need to undertake to achieve the goal. For instance, “I can stop eating before I’m full and still effectively deal with the desire to keep eating.” or “I can get started by simply putting on my sweats and shoes.”
Finally, tell somebody who’s important to you that you’re undertaking the Action Plan.
Goal setting ADD is rampant in our culture and some of the thinking about it is as well. The book was published in 1937; my thoughts are vintage 2020. In the end, truth and validity don’t go out of style. Words shape thoughts, thoughts shape action! I’ll be working on my goals alongside you. Let me know how it works. And what doesn’t work as well!
Stay Safe, Stay Strong