Year after year many people fail to succeed at reaching their fitness goals and desires.
Avoid these common pitfalls and make it an extraordinary 2011!
1. Failing to dream big.
Why do we settle for mediocrity? Maybe it's because we've heard it somewhere that our true dreams are unrealistic. As a result, we then limit ourselves with more "down-to-earth" aspirations, leading to a lack of lasting excitement since it doesn't connect with our true "deep down" passion.
If someone's true desire is to lose 100 pounds, for instance, then settling on a goal of only 20 pounds may not be sexy enough to get him or her off the couch and ready for action. Instead, setting that larger goal, and then breaking it down into smaller progress markers for "digestibility" can better keep the fire stoked while presenting attainable deadlines along the way. After all, while success doesn't just happen, it is created one step at a time. That one hundred-pound weightloss goal broken down to a healthy 10 pounds per month means a goal deadline of 10 months, for example.
The Fix: Whatever the dream is, don't settle. Go for what you truly want!
Power Quote: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined." ~ Henry David Thoreau
2. Not creating a plan for your success.
Imagine deciding to try the famously good paella at El Rall in Valencia. You wouldn't simply get in your car and start driving without at least finding out answers to some basic questions, would you? How do you get there? What do you need? How long will it take to get there? Where is it? While most people wouldn't dream of leaving without planning this trip out, each year people embark on a fitness/weight loss journey without much, if any, thought on what they truly want and how they're going to get it. Instead, they jump on something haphazardly and feel disappointed when it doesn't work as well for them as it did on for the TV spokesperson. Know thy self! Do a little research. Find out what's required to get the body/healthy lifestyle you want. Think about what you think is fun: flying solo, group workouts, in the gym, outside? Identify potential obstacles and figure out how to overcome them. If you need help knowing what to do, ask questions.
The Fix: Your journey is unique and many hurdles can be anticipated. Don't wait for foreseeable problems to arise. Take the offensive!
Power Quote: "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." ~ Henry Ford
3. Failing to discover the true source of your passion.
This goes hand in hand with the 2nd point above. Whether you realize it or not, you live according to your passion and what you value most. For instance, one reason you make it to work each day is likely because you value your paycheck more than anything else you could be doing. For many people, a low level of success reaching their goals is because regardless of what they say, they are not truly ready to do "whatever it takes". If the individual from our 100 pound example knowingly continues to eat improperly and exercise sporadically, it's unlikely that he or she will find his or herself 100 pounds lighter at the end of the 10 months. Though unhappy about that fact, the passion and fire for change simply isn't there to truly change and adopt the healthier habits that would lead to success.
The Fix: Don't just go with what easily rolls off your tongue ("lose weight, "get fit", "eat better". Be specific and figure out what you REALLY want in relation to what you will REALLY do.
Power Quote: "When your heart is in your dreams, no request is too extreme." ~ Jiminy Cricket
Live Your Goals!
