Four Questions You Need to Answer Before Setting Your Goals
New Year's Day has come and gone. You are ready to take on your new year’s resolution. You are motivated and think it is going to work this time. By mid-January, you have slipped back into your old habits and the resolution is a fleeting thought.
Why can’t you make your goals stick?
James Clear’s book Atomic Habits breaks it down for you to master sticking to your goals. You all have motivation and willpower, but it runs out or life gets in the way. What you need to find in yourself is your desire.
You must find your new identity and who you want to become. Do not focus on the outcome, focus on the small things to get you to your goal.
You want to exercise more this year.
Ask yourself:
Why do you want to exercise more? To lose weight.
Why do you want to lose weight? To be healthier.
Why do you want to be healthier? To live longer, not be put on blood pressure medications, and not become a diabetic.
Why do you want to live longer and not battle chronic disease? To play with my kids, to watch them grow up, to hold and play with my grandkids, to enjoy retirement and travel.
You found your why! Your why has to be bigger than you and give you the desire you need to start changing your lifestyle.
Now that you found your why, how are you going to do this?
Ask yourself:
How am I going to do this? Workout
What am I going to do when I work out? Walk, go to the gym, and ride my bike.
When am I going to do this? Before I shower for work.
How often am I going to do this? Monday, Wednesday & Friday
Where am I going to this? At home, at the gym.
Now write out your plan and start doing this.
I am going to walk 5 minutes before I shower on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at home.
Start small. It may be you are going to walk for 5 minutes on the days you chose. Each week or month as you become stronger add more time. Eventually, this habit will become automatic.
Now, what if life gets in the way? What are you going to do? You must have a backup plan. Because life will happen, and you will get busy.
James Clear gave a great example of creating your backup plan. He uses the IF ___________ and THEN _________ strategy.
Tell yourself this:
If I can’t go to the gym, then I will walk during my son’s baseball practice.
If I can’t get my morning walk in, then I will march in place, do squats, toe touches, etc. during the commercials when I watch TV.
If you need some help figuring out HOW to set yourself up for success, be sure to listen to the latest episode of the FASTer Way Podcast – How Tiny Habits Lead to Big Changes with Dr. BJ Fogg Resolutions don’t work for most people, and if you’re one of them, this episode could change everything for you.
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We all must start somewhere. You start where you are. Go through these questions, write out your goal, find your why, and create your plan. No one else knows your life as you do. So, don’t compare yourself to what others may do. You can’t do their life, you can only do yours.
If you don’t know where to begin, but you know that you want to start working to improve your health join me in my next FASTer Way To Fat Loss round. We start where you are, and you create the lifestyle you are wanting for improving your health. We will help you create healthy habits, and mindsets and empower you to live out a healthy, purposeful life. Goals are not just a quick fix to losing weight it is your life journey.
