How bad do you want your fitness goals?

I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic recently. I have several clients who tell me their health & fitness-related goals and aspirations. We work on their fitness goals and tweak them to be more meaningful, etc. I often see that they lack motivation in following through with their fitness goals because of all the work and effort required to succeed.

So I have to question whether this is truly a goal or is a passing fancy or whim. I ask (and so should you), “How bad do you really want it”? There is NO question about how bad an Olympian or a predator seeking his next meal wants it. In fact, they are hungry for it.

To create a lasting behavior and establish a healthy lifestyle, you need to take a few minutes to get clear on your goal shouldn’t be an issue. Here’s a simple test. If you don’t want to do this exercise or don’t have the time to do this simple exercise then you don’t value it. If you don’t value it, it’s isn’t a goal-it’s a want. Wants/fancies/whim are something that would be nice to have if available. If it’s not available, then you’ll be disappointed but life will go on just fine. Goals, especially healthy goals, require some level of sacrifice and effort.

What are you willing to sacrifice to reach your goal? How bad do you want it?

The following exercise is something I came across awhile ago, in fact I’m not sure if this is something I got from Tony Robbins, or Zig Ziglar, or someone else. I think it’s a great exercise, and should not be taken lightly. Honestly take time to do this mental exercise and it will pay off down the road.

1. Get a piece of paper and on the top of the page write down your goal.
2. Make a list of all the reasons WHY you want to achieve/reach said goal. Ask yourself, Why do I deserve this? What are the benefits of achieving this goal? How will my attitude/character change for the better by attaining this goal?
3. The minimum is 25 items. The more reasons you come up with, the more you want it. And the more you want it, the more you are willing to see it through to the end. If you’re struggling coming up with 25 reasons why you should succeed, you should modify or change your original goal.

As you are brainstorming making the list you should find yourself getting more and more excited and motivated to succeed and less and less like this guy.  The most powerful use of this exercise is to not only complete it, but to keep it in a highly visible location. Every time you feel like giving up or giving in, you can look at this list and remind yourself of why you DESERVE to reach that goal. Hopefully this will make the work required to succeed a little more palatable.Give it a try and comment below with your thoughts and experiences. Good luck!

If you found this article helpful check out these other related posts. Process vs outcome goals and Achieving a Healthy Lifestyle Balance. Goal setting is just one aspect we cover in our personal training for healthy lifestyles with our senior fitness clients.