| Focus January 1, 2005
|
Competing at the
national level, and possibly winning, is a dream for many athletes. Setting goals is
critical to helping them get there.
(Photo taken by Doug Schneider at the 2004 CBBF Canadian Fitness Championships.
Competitors from left to right: Antonia Grady, Sandra Wickham, Mindi O'Brien, Tammy
Harder, and Leanne Babcock.) |
|
Goal Setting
The new year brings with it the annual New Year’s
resolution, and for many people, regardless of sex or age, that will be to "get in
shape." Hey, who doesn’t want to? But is a simple statement on the first of the
year enough? Judging by the number of people who rush out and buy a membership in a gym
and then lose interest after just a few weeks, I’d say no.
The real key, along with the resolution, is to give
yourself a goal to help you achieve what you set out to do. When it comes to getting in
shape, the goal is often a deadline. It’s not good enough to say "I’m going
to get in shape." What is necessary is to say, "I’m going to get in shape
by such and such a date." The date, obviously, depends on what is practical and
realistic for you. This is important. Getting in shape by next week isn’t
possible for most; getting in shape for July first when it’s January first is.
Having a goal, in fact many goals, comes naturally for
competitive athletes, whether they’re beginners or advanced. Winning a certain title
becomes one goal. The dates of the competitions that help the athletes reach that target
of a title are other goals. They are all part of the process of getting there, and each
one helps, bit by bit. And luckily, since someone else sets the dates of the competitions,
they can’t be shifted by the competitors if they get lazy or off-track. The
athletes must remain focused and be disciplined to ensure they reach the condition they
want by the set date, whether they like that date or not, or they will have missed their
goal.
For non-competitors it’s a little trickier, since
there may not be a title to win and the date to achieve a certain condition is more or
less arbitrarily picked. In this case, the non-competitor must make a commitment and
simply stick to it. Admittedly, it’s not easy to achieve and maintain that kind of
focus, but the people who are serious about their goals find ways to motivate themselves
and do it. I’ve always found that writing the goal on a big piece of paper and
putting it in a visible place – like on your bedroom mirror – is a good way to
keep it in mind.
So if on New Year’s Day you made a resolution to
"get in shape" or "prepare for a competition" or even, perhaps, just
"join a gym," don’t just say it, do it, and set a rock-solid date for
reaching your goal. Then, make it happen according to your plan. After you have reached
your goal – and you will reach it if you remain focused and disciplined -- plan your
next step, setting your next goal and your next target date to make that happen, too. The
next thing you’ll know is that goal-setting will become an integral part of your
lifestyle, and will help you to succeed. Who knows where it will take you!
...Doug Schneider
das@seriousaboutfitness.com |
