The Do’s and Don’ts of Goal Setting

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