Monday Motivation: Setting Goals

Hi! So here it is on Monday, and...we got freezing rain...again! Winter just does not want to let go of his grip!  Today, I'm here to talk about persistence. James says, "Let patience have it's perfect work, so that you do not grow weary and lose heart." Wow, I wish it were easy, but many times, I know that at the slightest sign of difficulty, I've thrown up my hands and walked away from some great opportunities, but that's not the case anymore! I've been learning some things about my self the past 2 months, and one of those things has been that in the past, I've talked about goals, but never laid out the ground work to reach them. I get caught up in the grandiose vision of achieving a certain goal, but then try to "guestimate" my way there. My advice: when you set a goal, do the research. Make a detailed plan. Know your strengths. Know your weaknesses. Make a sacrifice to get there. Without sacrifice, you will have no ownership in your goal. Some of the best decisions I've made in life have been risks.
Here are some tips to help you reach your goals:
1. Write out your goals. Be specific. For example, my next fitness goal is to have a six pack...I'm actually close right now. The goal I had before was to have a flat tummy again. I wrote this down in my fitness journal.
2. Do some research. If you want, slimmer thighs, then you may not want to do powerlifting to reach your goal. Is this an extreme example, yes, but you get my point. That said, do not overlook strength training if that is your goal. Do you want more energy, then do research about programs that allow you sufficient nutrition...a "no carb" diet is not for you. Ask a fitness professional that specializes in the types of goals that you have.
3. Get accountability. So many of us lose sight because we're afraid to tell anyone what we're about to do...for whatever reason. Find someone who will encourage you but also be honest with you. Announce your intentions on your social media. It works.
4. Show up. If you never start, then you can't finish. It's that simple. Just commit to starting your workout...once the balls rolling, it's harder to get off track.

I hope this helps! This may not come naturally to you, but anything worth having must be worked for!

Stay warm! 
Julie