I want to lose weight.
I want to be healthy.
I want to throw 98mph.
I want to go to the CrossFit Games.
I want to win Gold at the World Championships.
These are all goals and decently defined ones at that.
I serve a role as Coach to several groups of people. I’m a friend, confidant, teacher, leader, advisor, mentor, counselor, psychologist, programmer, nerd, motivator, therapist, listener…
Throughout these various relationships, I get to see all levels of success.
What is it that separates the successful people from not-so-successful?
Creating SMART Goals and Consistency
I started out above with loosely defined goals that include the “what” and are lacking the “how to.”
The thing about goals is for them to become a reality there are six essential components to really be effective.
S – specific (ex: if you want to “be healthy,” what does that mean?)
M – measurable (ex: how much weight do you want to lose?)
A – attainable (ex: saying you want to be an olympic swimmer when you can’t even swim means it probably ain’t in the cards for ya…)
R – relevant (ex: if you’re training to be a soccer player, there is no need to practice throwing a baseball)
T – time bound (ex: WHEN will you achieve this goal? Not “in a few months”…what day specifically?)
Then comes the hard part: actually taking action toward achieving them.
Oh, you’re probably wondering where the sixth component of goals is, right? Here it is: you need to have an emotional attachment to it. This means that it’s something you get riled up for. It stirs passion from deep within to keep you going when the going gets tough. This piece makes sure you have “skin in the game,” that it is something worth fighting for, something that is for YOU.
But here’s the reality – everyone, even CrossFit Games competitors and gold-medal-winning World Champions in weightlifting, come across “life” that threatens to derail them. What do I mean by life?
Sick Kids
Holiday Parties
Holidays
Surprise family visits
Eating out
Lack of money
Gym being closed
Moving homes
Wreck slowing down your morning commute
Long days at the office
Election results (wait, did I just go there?)
Being tired
Death in the family
Bad breakup
Work got in the way
Genetics
TV shows
Bad luck
Travel
Training in austere environments
Not getting enough sleep
Feeling lazy
Feeling defeated
Lacking confidence
Scared of the workout
Lack of time
You know what I mean yet? All these things that people constantly use as an excuse for why they aren’t getting what they want in life – reasons why they can’t make it to the gym or eat well.
All that stuff is life!
And all that stuff is a part of everyone’s life!
The people who are the most successful in the world, who achieve their goals, who capture their dreams, are no different than you or I. They just don’t let any of that stuff, “life,” get in the way of them getting what they want. They know it’s just part of the journey…and they’re prepared to deal with those things when they do pop up. They have a plan!
It really boils down to one simple question: how badly do YOU want it? Achieving goals you set for yourself won’t be easy. It will take time and dedication, but in the end… WORTH IT!
But what about YOU?
Ok, so now we need to come up with your goals and an action plan for achieving them. Don’t fret – your goals don’t need to be lofty performance ones, or weight loss ones, or muscle gain ones…those are all great and cool and fun…but only if they are relevant to YOU; that’s what matters!
We’re going to make this real easy – Here’s how it is done.
- First, I establish my SMART goal: To meet with each and every member we have for a 20-minute goal setting session by the end of March 2019.
- Next, how will I achieve it? I put a link to my schedule so that each of you can book your private appointment with me for a time that is convenient for you.
- PS: Here is that link: https://sycamorecrossfit.uplaunch.com/client_bookings/378
- Lastly, how do I know when I’ve achieved it? Simple: I’ve put a checkmark next to every member’s name.
But wait a minute, what about the emotional part…what’s in this for me?
Well that’s easy – I get to help each of you set out on a path to achieve your goals.
Finally, the follow-up: Accountability is a huge thing. When more people, other than just you, know that you’re gunning for something special, a funny thing will happen: they’ll rally in your corner and keep you going.
In addition to the check-ins, when we see you in class, or out and about, (or via FB stalking), I promise you this: every three months, you’ll be hearing from us to come and sit down again to see how you’re getting along. We’ll evaluate how your plan is coming together, tweak anything that needs it, and keep you moving forward.
So…what does all this cost? Only our most valuable asset: time. Athlete check-ins are part of your membership at Sycamore CrossFit. Here is that link again…
https://sycamorecrossfit.uplaunch.com/client_bookings/378
Will you make the time? 2019 is just around the corner…make it a habit not a resolution.