Setting a goal is easy. What do you want? To lose weight? Run faster? Lift more?
Remembering that goal when it counts is harder. Keeping that goal in the forefront of your brain when you get an invite to have pizza and beer with your friends or your alarm goes off bright and early for the gym and all you want to do is snooze.
But then you can’t get that goal out of your brain when it comes time to check your progress and nothing has changed, or worse, you’ve taken a few steps back.
No one has perfect willpower. Everyone needs a little nudge here, a little reminder there, of what you are really working for. Going to the gym for the sake of going to the gym makes it easy to skip, but going to the gym with a purpose in mind reminds you that it’s worth it to get what you really want.
It would be nice if you could have someone follow you around and poke you with a stick every time you are about to make an unhealthy decision, but I’m pretty sure that’s against the law, so you gotta poke yourself. Figuratively, of course.
Write it down. Don’t just write it down and forget about it. Put it somewhere you will see it multiple times a day: the bathroom mirror, inside your wallet,
Wear a physical reminder. Buy a special necklace, ring, or a key chain just for your goal. It doesn’t have to be something obvious to anyone else, but something special that will remind you what you are working for every time you see it.
Send yourself a digital reminder. Send yourself an automated email or text with a motivational phrase every day. Or simply set a daily alarm and spend a few minutes when it goes off reflecting on your goal and what you are going to do that day to help achieve it.
In Good Health,
Kelly Turner
Kelly Turner is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and health and fitness writer from Seattle, WA. Her writing has appeared in numerous magazines, and she currently blogs for Breathe Magazine, is the Health and Fitness Expert for Twirlit.com and feature fitness writer for FitPeeps.com. To contact Kelly with any questions, email her at kellycturner@hotmail.com.
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