As a top personal trainer in Calgary, I motivate and help people reach their goals. A popular misconception in fitness and training is that writing your goals down on paper will guarantee results. Read this blog to understand my thoughts when it comes to goal setting on paper and what your list needs to do in order to be effective.
I believe writing a list of goals is a great way to self-motivate. However, lists are often too broad and general to be effective. The problem with lists is they can be misconstrued and easy to manipulate. For example, if you write down “eat healthier”, what does that mean exactly? In a weak moment, eating healthier might mean adding an orange to a fast food meal. You need to make your list detailed and more specific if you truly want to reach your goals. If your goal is to lose weight, write down exactly how much weight you want to lose in a month and then compile a specific list that will help you realize this goal. Specific goals can be:
- Take stairs at work
- Run 7 kilometres this weekend
- Train with Paul Anthony on mon-wed-fri
- Pack a salad for lunch
The more specific your list is, the greater the chance of reaching your goals. And remember, just writing a list down doesn’t guarantee you’re going to be successful. You still need to execute.
Speaking of execution, your list needs a backup plan. It can become far too easy to begin manipulating that list or to find excuses not to complete a goal. One of the common excuses I hear has to do with the weather. You’re supposed to go for a run on the bow river pathway on the weekend, but it rained and you decided to skip it. As easy as it is to skip that run, it’s just as easy to go to the gym and run on the treadmill instead. You should have a backup plan so you don’t find an easy way out. I find that if you plan to train early in the morning, you have a greater chance of reaching your weight loss or fitness goals. Obstacles usually don’t surface in the morning compared to the evening, where there always seems to be an invitation to a patio for beers or other similar excuses which can derail you.
You also need support from your family, friends and a professional trainer in order to be successful. If you're looking to live a healthier lifestyle and need inspiration to reach your goals, contact Paul Anthony by phone at (403) 612-3538 or by using our contact form below.
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