This
is the infamous, Ali Jacoby, she's been coming to Starke for over 3 years now
and is currently in our Coaches Development Program.
Here's
her take on the Do's and Don'ts of Goal Setting!
Have you ever found
yourself discouraged with your progress, asking yourself “why can’t I do a
pull-up, yet” or being envious of other’s skills and abilities? I’m sure
everyone can relate, whether it be a muscle up he or she is after, or someone
else’s snatch! We’re all familiar with wanting something, and being discouraged
when we don’t achieve it. Goal setting is an important aspect of our lives; in
our school, work, relationships, and training. It’s true that some of the most
successful people are those that have not only a goal in mind, but also an
action plan to get there. I believe that everyone who comes into Starke
should also have a goal, whether it is as simple as showing up and working hard
3 times a week, or making it to Regionals. I’m going to go over some of the
do’s and don’ts of goal setting but first let’s talk about why it’s important
to have them.
There are several reasons
why I think goal setting is so important and everyone should do it. First of
all, goals keep us moving forward, they give us purpose. Lot’s of times it is
easy for people to get into a lull and have trouble staying motivated, whether
it is in fitness or at their job. Often times this is because they have no
goal, nothing to strive for so evidently they become unmotivated and sort of
“get stuck”. Goals are a great way to keep us moving towards something so we
don’t get caught in a rut. Secondly, goals allow us to reflect often and
measure our progress. It is easy to get frustrated and wonder why we
can’t do something instead of focusing on how we’re going to get to where
we want to be. Being able to look back and see where we’ve come from and the
progress we have made is an important part of the process. It helps us be proud
of ourselves and the progress we’ve made, but also show us where we need to go
from here. Lastly, goal setting allows us to fail and therefore succeed. I’m
sure everyone has failed at something in his or her life; maybe it was a math
test or loosing a race. Whether it is big or small, failure is inevitable; it
is what allows us to improve and what teaches us. Failing shows us where we
need to improve and helps us actually get where we want to go. Let’s get to the
dos and don’ts of goal setting!
The Do’s
1. DO write
them down
How else can we stay
accountable? How else can we really know what we want? Writing down your goals
and putting it somewhere where you see it often helps you keep that goal in
mind, and make the choices necessary to get there. It also reminds us of what
we’ve accomplished and helps us reflect and feel pride and satisfaction when we
look at old goals and know we conquered them!
2. DO make a plan
Have you ever heard the
quote “Failing to plan is planning to fail?” Well it couldn’t be truer. In
order to get where you want, you have to have a plan. Write it down, look at it
often, know it, and want it. If you want a muscle up are you working at your
strict dips and pull-ups 3x a week? If not how can you expect to get there?
Make sure you include a timeline, when you want to achieve this by. Lie out
some steps, make a plan and get to it!
3. DO make them
achievable
Don’t set yourself up for
immediate failure by making your goals unachievable. Consider your “why” when
setting goals and ask yourself if they are realistic at this time based on the
choices you are currently making. Maybe you can modify things slightly but if
your current lifestyle does not coincide with the goal you are setting then it
likely will have you unmotivated in no time (which we don't want!) If you have
never gone for a run and your goal is to run a marathon in 2 months, that is
likely not achievable for your current lifestyle! (Nor is it a good choice!!)
Make them achievable and that will help you stay motivated and striving for
success!
4. DO make small
goals often
Perhaps you have a large
goal in mind, but what better way to get there than with small manageable
ones!? I’ve referenced the muscle up a few times so I’ll stick with that
example. If you are far from a muscle up, that doesn’t need to be your
immediate goal. Aim for being able to do one strict chest to bar and one strict
ring dip. Once you can do that, you aim for 3 of each! When you set and achieve
these small goals, the bigger end result becomes closer and more realistic!
5. DO enjoy the
process and celebrate your successes!
Fitness is supposed to be
fun! Enjoy your plan, enjoy the process! Setting goals should be a rewarding
process. There is no greater feeling than working hard for something and
achieving it. Be sure to celebrate the successes you make and be proud of how
far you’ve come!
The Don’ts
1. DON’T get
discouraged
Goal setting can be a
frustrating process. It is easy to get discouraged and want to give up. But
don’t let the setbacks keep you from moving forward. Stick to your plan and
stay focused on what you want. Remind yourself of why and remember that you CAN
do it.
2. DON’T be afraid
to fail
I touched on this
earlier, but do not let the fear of failure hold you back from succeeding. You
are going to fail, again and again. But from that failure you will emerge
stronger. Use your mistakes as a lesson, evaluate and reflect often. If it’s
not working what can you change to get results?
3. DON’T stop when
you get there
If you set a goal, don’t
stop when you achieve it! Stay motivated, set another! Keep moving forward. Be
proud of what you’ve accomplished but don’t be satisfied with that. Always want
more for yourself.
4. DON’T compare
yourself
You are not the same, as
anyone else so do not get caught up in worrying about what other people are
doing. I hear it all the time, I even find myself saying it sometimes; “But
so-and-so can do this” or “so-and-so lifted this”. Your goals are yours
and yours alone. Don’t focus your energy worrying about what anyone else is
doing. Do not get caught comparing yourself to others. You will always find
yourself coming up short, never being good enough and that is not going to help
you move forward positively! Focus on yourself and your plan and you will get
there.
5. DON’T let
anything stop you
Don’t let another
person’s opinion, your friend or your own mind get in the way of what you want.
If you are willing to put in the work to get there, you absolutely can and
nothing will get in your way. Don’t let excuses take over. Hold yourself
accountable and stick to your path. There will be obstacles, but you can and
will overcome them.
Get out there, set some
goals and have fun smashing them!
Ali Jacoby
