“You Write Your Own Destiny.” Those are the words that I had tattooed on my forearm. It’s just a daily reminder to me that I should be continuously setting goals for myself. And when I set goals I take responsibility for the outcome. It is my personal opinion that goals are what makes us who we are today. Without goals we would simply be living our day to day lives with no positive progression or growth.
It’s no secret that in order to SUCCESSFULLY accomplish goals you first need to set them. I have always used theWHAT, WHEN, HOW, and EXECUTE approach. WHAT are you trying to achieve? WHEN do you want/need to achieve this goal? HOW do you plan on achieving this (this is your plan of attack)? And finally, having the drive and courage toEXECUTE!
The WHAT:
I think a large portion of people get goals and “wants” confused. Goals are what makes us who we are. They establish a starting and end point for us in any endeavor we reach for. Goals mold us into who we will be 1 year, 5 years, and 20 years from now.
“Wants” are materialistic. They don’t make you any better, any stronger (mentally or physically), nor do they help you achieve any kind of success.
When setting goals you need to determine WHAT needs to change in your life to be where you want to be. WHATmakes you happy/unhappy? Finally, WHAT will your life be like once you achieve this goal?
The WHEN:
Now it’s time you establish a REALISTIC time line to CRUSH this! Notice how I said “REALISTIC?” If your goal is to lose 20 lbs in 8 weeks and you have the body type that can afford to lose that amount in this timeline then write that goal down and GO AFTER IT! However, if you come up to me and say, “Mike, I want to lose 100lbs in the next eight weeks.” I am nicely going to tell you to kick rocks. There is absolutely nothing wrong with setting small goals and building off them after each accomplishment. It is my opinion and experience that this is how people tend to stick to their goals, because they continually see themselves achieving them, which keeps them motivated to set more, unlike if they just set one goal in an 8 week period. On that note: you should ONLY set goals that EXCITE you. If the goal you set does not excite you then you’re only setting yourself up for failure.
The HOW:
Now that you established your goal, set a timeline, you are now ready to establish your plan of attack! When planning on HOW you are going to execute your goal you may start to realize that in order to be successful you will have to move somethings around in your life. Let’s use the example of a person who wants to lose 20lbs in 8 weeks. If this person truly wants to successfully accomplish their goal(s) he/she needs to make paramount changes in their life. It may consist of: 1) Changing their diet. 2) Decide on a strength training/nutrition plan that fits their schedule. They may find that their schedule only permits them to workout early mornings or late nights. 3) Decide if the people in their friends circle will support them. ***this is a really important one. You need to surround yourself with people who will support you and encourage during this time. If you don’t do this you are almost guaranteed to fail. Once these three things have been established this person is ready to move on to the next phase of the goal setting process.
EXECUTE:
The plan is set and you are now ready for BATTLE! This is when you lay everything on the table and go 100. You need to be consistent and dedicated to the plan you set forth. You must have the mindset of a warrior and come to the realization that absolutely NOTHING is going to get in your way! When I am going through the EXECUTE phase I do 3 things:
- I journal every positive thought I have. NOTHING negative. I read those thoughts throughout the day and before bed. This helps me wake up everyday with a positive mindset not thinking of the everyday stresses.
- I will NOT surround myself with anybody that could have a negative impact on my goals. I tell my friends and family the goals I have set and that I could really use the encouragement and support.
- I have FUN! Go to the beach, go to Disney, go on a picnic, do something that you still enjoying doing! Just make sure It’s not interfering with your goals.
Remember: CONSISTENCY+DEDICATION = SUCCESS!
-Mike T.
