Goal-setting for better results
If you want to succeed, you have to know exactly where you’re going.
With the foundations set, it’s time to move to-goal setting as a strategy for getting better results.
Goal-setting for better results
Like it or not, the chances of making progress and fulfilling your potential without having set goals. are very low.
A Harvard study found:
83% of people don’t have goals
14% have a plan in mind but haven’t written anything down
3% have goals written down
They also found:
The 14% were 10x more successful than the 83%
The 3% were another 3x more successful than the 14%
As simple and repetitive as writing down your goals might sound, it will give you a much better shot at success.
This activity will guide you through our thorough goal-setting process, ensuring you have as much clarity around your training / nutrition / life goals as possible.
Goal-setting activity
Open your goal-setting sheet.
Fill out your fitness goals for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year.
Return to the top of the goal sheet and fill in which of your core values each goal serves, and how. You should eventually tick off all your values during this exercise.
Return to the top again. Make sure that every single goal you’ve written down both scares and excites you. If you’re not a bit scared of your goals, they’re too small.
Head to the next column. Answer the questions in order to ensure your goals have enough clarity.
Head to the last column. Answer the questions so you can ensure your values and goals are in alignment.
Check the time. If you already had goals written down and/or this took you less than 45 minutes, go revisit this activity. Think about each goal. Picture it, feel it, smell it, taste it. Make it as visceral of an experience as you can.
This process should take an hour, to an hour and a half.
Now, you likely have the clearest most deliberate list of goals you’ve ever had.
You’ve identified the first steps that you need to take, everything aligns with your core values, and you're terrified of how you’re actually going to achieve it all!
Don't worry, that's totally normal (and a good sign).
The truth about outcome-based goals
There’s a really good chance that most of your goals listed are outcome-based goals.
They might include:
Lose 5kg
Squat your bodyweight
Complete a photoshoot
Compete in a powerlifting competition
Goals like these are undoubtedly things you should be working towards, but the secret to achieving them is changing how you view your goals.
Achieving your goals lies in the process. The process leads to the outcome - "to achieve X, first I must Y…"
We refer to this as the ‘Be, do, have’ method.
Be, do, have
This concept starts with being.
You must act like the kind of person who already has achieved the goal you seek. You need to embody those character traits, decisions, and behaviours. This is a process-driven approach that will ultimately take you towards your goal outcome with far less resistance.
After identifying your goals, ask yourself, what are you going to have to do to achieve them?
Spending time answering this question will help you to get better results from your workout.
Once you’re clear on your goals, you might have to:
Re-do your schedule to fit in more training sessions per week
Increase your step target
Track your food
Hire a coach
Follow a program
Stick to the program for long enough to see results
Ask more questions
Read & develop your own training / nutrition education
Change your social circle
Start cooking more instead of ordering take-away
Develop a growth and ownership mindset
This list may seem overwhelming to some, but it’s likely that the secret to success is in the steps you aren’t doing right now.
For more on mindset, listen to ep 21 of the STCfit Podcast - out on all your fav apps.
