Where Do I Start?

Is one of your New Year goals to be a fitter and healthier you in 2022? Make sure you’re set up for success by having these five important boxes ticked:⁣⁣

1. Set a variety of goals.

Choose a variety of goals across different areas so you can score multiple wins regularly. Don’t just aim to “eat healthy” or “lose weight” either, be specific.

Challenge yourself to smaller goals with winning streaks that compound, like trying 12 new foods this year, reaching 10,000 steps a day at least 6 days per week, improve your sleep to a minimum 8 hours per night, work on your flexibility each day, and so on.

Multiple smaller goals create a richer bigger picture than one big vague goal, and the success builds momentum that breeds motivation.

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2. Take stock of your starting point and make a plan.

How far away are you from each goal and what needs to change? Which habits can be easily switched and what stepping stones need to be crossed?⁣⁣ The first step has to be taken but you need to know what that is first.

Create multiple paths to the same goal that will suit each possible mood and type of day where possible, so you also have a plan B, and even a C so you can get that small win in each day no matter the situation.

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3. Create intrinsic motivation

Why have you chosen your goals? Dig deep and find reasons that are based on your thoughts and feelings that align with your values and will genuinely improve your day to day life.⁣⁣

Goals based on social or material rewards never stick - We lose motivation when we don’t truly care for the result.

Reflect on previous goals you didn’t meet and ask why you set them, were they for external/extrinsic reasons?⁣⁣ How about goals you have achieved, what was your reason for setting them?

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4. Don’t do it in secret

It’s important to let people know of your goals, so drop them into conversations and even invite others to join you in parts. Personal growth needn’t be a secret project, but usually we keep it that way as a defence mechanism to avoid possible public failure.⁣⁣

Talking about your goals makes you accountable, and having friends and family ask how things are going can make a huge difference to your motivation and success!⁣⁣

If you find that your friends aren’t supportive, make ones that are! Where do you think the people who are on a similar or journey to you spend their time? Head in that direction and find your people.

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5. Reward yourself

You don’t need to be a 100% changed person to celebrate. Rewarding progress and consistency towards your goals is important, it shouldn’t just be saved for their completion.⁣

Celebrate in whatever way you see fit - but not in a way that counteract your goals.

If you are going against your progress as a reward then you need to reconsider if your goals are things you really want if acting against them is more pleasurable...⁣⁣

If you’re not sure what reward will work, start creating a loaf of things that make you happy and feel good, then you can figure out a celebratory ritual that you look forward to reaching targets to partcipiate in.

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What 2021 health goals have you made, and are you going to fast-track your progress with one to one coaching?

Get in touch if you want somebody aiming for you goals with you!