Setting Goals

I've always been very goal-focused – both inside and outside the gym – in part because I don't overcomplicate goal setting. I don't go off on extended pilgrimages to far-off places to search for my "true purpose." I simply find a quiet spot and follow a few simple steps, which I'll share with you now.

Step 1: Redefine Your Expectations

When setting your goals, you must define exactly what you want to achieve, as well as what you believe to be possible and realistic.  In life you should always set your goals extremely high. If you reach them, bonus. If you come close then you should be doing pretty well. If you set your goals lower and achieve them all, well, then you probably set them too low.

Satisfaction can be a real dream killer, as well as complacency. If you feel as though you are satisfied with whatever it is you have going on, then you are certainly not going to go farther than where you are. SO DON'T GET SATISFIED OR COMPLACENT!!!  Sometimes we get caught up in our own accomplishments. If you have lost 20 lbs and feel really great about it and are satisfied, find someone who has lost 40 lbs: then your 20 doesn't seem quite so extraordinary, and you will realize that although you've come a long way, there is still plenty more to go.  This also works if you are a runner, maybe the fastest in your group. Well, find a new group, people who are absolute lightning bolts. Next thing you know your 7:30 miles seem like a snail's pace, and your expectations have been REDEFINED. Now you won't stop until you are at a 7:05 mile...... and away we go!

Step 2: Set Specific Goals

It's imperative that goals be specific and definable. Vague goals lead to obscure results. Avoid setting goals that are subjective, where results can be altered independent of your own progress.

For example, many competing athletes set goals based upon the result of their next competition. Most would assume that this is a great way to set goals. However, if you think about it, you can see the flaws in that mindset.  Let's say you want to finish higher in your annual 5k than last year.  You get out there and finish 51st out of 350, which is 6 places higher than last year. However, you ran 1:00 slower, so is this truly an improvement? The answer is NO! You have actually regressed, even though you achieved your goal. The opposite can also happen. You run your race and finish 6:03 faster than last year, but everyone was fast and you finished 2 spots worse than last year.  Now you clearly improved but you didn't "achieve" your goal.  

The key is that no matter what your goals may be, you need to make them definable and measurable to allow accurate gauging of true progress.

Step 3: Set Short, Medium, and Long Term Goals

You should have short, medium, and long-term goals – and it's crucial that your short-term ones act as steppingstones towards both the medium and eventually the long-term goals.

As obvious as that may sound, many fail to do this and set conflicting or even opposing goals. While what constitutes a short, medium, or long-term goal is up to the individual, for athletics it's useful to define a short-term goal as something that can be accomplished over weeks or months.

Accomplishing medium-term goals should be set for 1-2 years, and long terms goals 5-10 years or possibly more. Of course, these time frames will vary greatly depending on exactly what the goal may be.  Also make sure you write your goals down, check them off as you go and continue to reevaluate.  If you are blowing through your medium length goals in a few months, then reset them and up the ante!

Step 4: Work Backwards

To ensure your short, medium, and long-term goals all work well together, it's best to start with the long-term goals and work backwards. This will also bring issues to light if you're not being realistic in your expectations.

Often people will set excessively ambitious long-term goals without having the short and medium-term goals in place. By starting with the long-term and working backwards, it will be easier to evaluate whether the entire process is even a realistic possibility.

Step 5: Be Lofty But Realistic

Your goals should bring you to the peak of what is possible for you. Don't be afraid to reach too far and come up short. Fear of failure has kept many worthy individuals from achieving all that they were capable of.

Remember there is no reward without risk – and often the greater the risk, the greater the reward. This works in all aspects of life, not just health.  Too many people sell themselves short by setting goals that they know they can easily reach, and then pat themselves on the back for doing so. However, this is silly and pointless: you are not living up to your potential, and could do/be way more!

I'm a big believer in competing at the highest level you're able to. If you're an athlete and qualify for a national level competition, then compete there. Don't waste yours and every one else's time in lower levels just to rack up wins and trophies and make yourself feel like King Kong.

Just be realistic in your expectations and try to learn as much you can. The knowledge that you acquire by competing and losing to stiffer competition will only benefit your future aspirations, as well as giving you the satisfaction that you tried at the highest level. Win, lose, or draw, you were competing against the people you should be competing against.

On the other hand, setting goals that are easily achievable proves nothing, accomplishes nothing, and fails to lead to the progression that we ultimately should be striving toward.

Some people sell themselves short, and some go too far in the other direction. Setting goals that are truly unattainable won't do you any good either.  It will be as if you had a built-in excuse. If you are a slightly overweight 45 year old man, your goals should probably not include running the 400m sprint in the next Olympics.

Goals should push you to your limits – but if you find yourself repeatedly falling short by a wide margin, a stern reality check may be in order.

To correct this, try discussing your goals with knowledgeable people that you respect, and most importantly, will be straight up with you. Ask them for their honest opinion and tell them not to sugar-coat it. Say you need to hear the absolute truth, and that you have a lot riding on their analysis; put the pressure on them to be honest.

This might require a thick skin on your part, but you have to be able to accept constructive criticism if you're to grow and progress. However, also remember that their opinion is just that – their opinion – and not necessarily 100% accurate. Accept it as a qualified outside perspective, and combine it with everything else that you already know and believe. Still, if everyone you ask gives similar reviews, then it's probably fairly accurate feedback.

Summing Up

As important as goal setting may be, it doesn't have to be complicated or require days of self-analysis. Here's the quick and dirty version:

• Redefine your expectations. A helpful tip is to surround yourself with people that are at the level you desire to be at.
• Ensure your goals are specific and objective. Base your goals around criteria that are definable and measurable.
• Set short, medium, and long-term goals, and remember that it's vital that the short-term ones serve as steppingstones toward the achievement of the medium and long-term goals.
• Use the inverse method of setting your long-term goals first and working backwards through your medium and short-term goals.
• Your goals should be lofty and extract the absolute maximum from your potential but not be unrealistic. Look for constructive criticism from knowledgeable and honest sources.

Most importantly, remember that goal setting is ultimately about the process of continual progression and personal growth, and this is where we find the true meaning in our aspirations.

Until next time people, EMBRACE THE BURN!!!