Your Goal can Shape your Thoughts and Impact your Success

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a potential client tell me they want to lose forty pounds in two months. This very aggressive goal isn’t usually possible, nor is it healthy, and it can often set a person up for failure. Setting an achievable goal builds confidence, self-esteem and positive, healthy thinking. This is why I spend time with my clients right at our first session breaking out realistic timelines for their goals.

Failing to meet a previously set health or fitness goal may lead to this type of destructive thinking:

“I didn’t meet my deadline, so I failed to reach my goal so I must be a failure!”

Believing that “YOU are a failure because YOUR GOAL was not met” is a dangerous way to think. It doesn’t allow you to learn from mistakes you made that prevented you from reaching the goal. Maybe you didn’t give yourself enough time to complete the goal. Maybe it took you longer than you thought to build up the necessary healthy habits needed for long-term success. Regardless, don’t give up – there will be very challenging days on your weight loss and healthy living journey. Losing weight is not easy or everyone would be doing it.

For long-term success, try these goal setting tips:

1. Focus on changing one thing at a time.

After you successfully tackle your first goal, move on to the next challenge. Do this by adding a small, stepped change to your original goal.

2. Set specific, realistic, and measurable goals.

Your goals should be attainable, yet challenging enough to gently push you outside your comfort zone. If you’re confused about where to start, speak with a fitness professional. Many of us have worked with a wide variety of people who have run into goal setting challenges just like you. This could be a great way for you to get started on your 2017 health and fitness journey.

3. Learn how to properly frame goal wins and challenges.

It’s much healthier to think: “I failed to reach my weight loss goal,” versus thinking “I didn’t reach my weight loss goal, so I am a failure.” A missed deadline should not be seen as a failure. It should be re-framed as an underestimated completion date. Most of us don’t really know how long it will take to reach a goal, we just make an educated guess. If you underestimated the time, keep the goal, set a new deadline date and move on.

4. Take time to celebrate!

Notice, and be proud of yourself for the small wins you make along the way. If your goal is to lose one pound a week, and you’ve managed to lose 0.75 pounds weekly this month, be proud – you are headed in the right direction! Treat yourself to a new exercise outfit, or a pedicure.

In summary, healthy thoughts, realistic goals and believing in yourself are all critical to achieving success with your health and fitness goals. It takes time, consistent action and persistence to make new behaviours habitual. Stick with it, and if you need to, don’t be afraid to ask for help from your loved ones, or a professional.