The secret to setting smart goals

There’s nothing worse than realizing you’ve let yourself down. We all know the feeling. How many of us fall short of our own goals or let deadlines go whizzing by, then tumble into a shame-spiral that keeps us from getting down to the real, productive work that lies ahead?

Often, it’s not that we’re failing our goals, it’s that our goals are failing us. There’s no better recipe for failure than vague, poorly-defined targets – yet so many of us skip putting in the work where we need to: at the very beginning. We rush over the planning stage and dive headfirst into training we’re not prepared for.

While there’s nothing wrong with getting started because you want to ‘feel better’, defining what ‘better’ is will stop you from hitting the snooze button and improve your chances of fitness success. As our functional training expert Da Rulk says, “You need that conviction and purpose to carry it through.”

So we’re here to help you get smart about setting a goal that you can set your sights on and start working toward: a journey from solid goal to solid gold!

Be more specific

‘Getting fit’ or ‘getting in shape’ might sound like good goals in theory, but in practice, they’re impossible metrics to judge yourself by. Decide what ‘fit’ means for you first. Maybe you want to be able to run for the bus without getting out of breath, or fit into an old pair of jeans. Making your target specific will give you something you can visualize during a tough training session, or use to fight against food cravings.

Make it measurable

There’s no point working toward a goal with no way of telling how close you are to hitting it. The best way to self-motivate is to carefully track your progress. Pick a goal that can be broken into a series of smaller tasks you can tick off a list, or specific body measurements you can track and count down. Knowing how far you have to go will only make that journey easier. Before long, you’ll find yourself relishing the joy of making progress.

Put plans into action

Sure, it might seem obvious that a fitness goal should be action-oriented. But so many of us set ourselves the general target of ‘feeling healthy’ without thinking about the work that entails. Don’t just talk about getting fit – plan how you will fit the activities and exercises into your daily routine in order to meet your goals.

Think big, but be realistic

All of our bodies are different, which means everyone’s definition of fitness is different, too. Don’t derail your progress by holding yourself to an unrealistic standard. Maybe you can’t reach that exact celebrity or bodybuilder physique – and that’s OK. Get to know your body and its limits, and find a fitness goal that suits you.

Set a timer

Remember high school? Back then, the longer you were given to do an assignment, the longer you’d take to do it. Well, the same is true of exercise regimens. Set yourself a specific, manageable timeframe that will keep you on track and reduce any tendency to dawdle.

Ultimately, the best kind of goal-setter is the one who continually checks in on their own progress. Keep notes, meditate on your success and have regular check-ins with yourself. Picture yourself as your own mentor, a friendly but firm boss who pushes you to new heights. Before long, you’ll be smashing your goals.