I think a lot of people, when the words “Goals” and “targets” come up, switch off, or gloss over! However, they are SO important when it comes to achievement and focus.
If you don’t set a specific end target, how do you know if;
a)You’re on the right path towards the goal?
b) You’ve reached your target goal?
Why not set a goal or target for health and fitness NOW?! When setting them, look to write down;
1) Exactly what you are looking to achieve (ie 10 pounds, a dress size, 20 bodyweight pressups, 5% body fat). Make sure it is exact. If you say “I want to lose weight”, where do you stop?! Be specific
2) Write down a date that you want to achieve this on, or by. If you just say I want to lose 10 pounds, then you leave yourself open to failure, to days of “Oh well, I’ll have a takeaway tonight and start tomorrow” Be specific with the date, and you really do have a target. 18th February 2012 is specific!
3) Another good idea is to write down some obstacles, or possible barriers that could stop you from achieving your goal. (E.g. I often leave more than 4 hours between eating, or I normally have a beer as soon as I come in from work) Then you can sit down and workout how you will get around these obstacles. (Will take pre-prepared snacks into work, I will not have beers in the fridge until the weekend, or I will have a glass of water as soon as I get in from work, and only have 2 drinks on a Saturday)
Write the date, and your goal in your diary. Add it to your email calendar. Write it on a piece of paper and put it on the fridge and by your bed. Then it will be at the forefront of your mind, and you will have less of a chance of ‘falling off’.
Don’t just be another ‘chancer’. Set yourself a target, and you will feel such a sense of achievement when you reach that date!