1. Take it one step at a time. I frequently have people who come in blazing, saying they want to overhaul their diet and start exercising five days a week. My response may be “Let’s just start with drinking more water,” and they’re like, “What?!” I could help someone lose weight very fast, but they’d gain it right back. And with goals like building muscle, that takes months. Chunk your goals out in realistic steps.
2. Have a vision of where you want to end up. People come in with a short-term vision and I always encourage them to push it out — if in three months you want to be here, then what about a year? Five years? The people who are ready to play the long game are the ones who I know will be successful.
3. Step into your desired identity. A lot of people approach fitness goals with the mindset of “If I do the training, then I’ll have the result, and then I’ll be this fit person.” Imagine the person you want to be and step into that identity now. I don’t work out so I can be “fit Becca,” I am fit Becca, so that’s why I work out.
4. Keep your expectations realistic. This is your chapter one. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else and their journey or use language like “if” — maintain the mindset that you will achieve your goal and it’s going to take time. The process is going to be challenging, but remember that what doesn’t challenge you doesn’t change you. If you’re ready for change, embrace the challenge and embrace the journey.
5. Celebrate little successes. Did you show up for your workout? Did you sprint 30 seconds longer than you did a month ago? Those are successes! Sometimes we feel like we can’t celebrate until we’ve reached our goal, but the process is the most delicious part of it.
6. Find a community at the club. It’s often said that you become the five people you spend the most time with: If you’re surrounded by likeminded people, it’s going to help you stay the course. Old circles with old habits make it hard to keep to a new routine. People from Life Time have become my best friends. It’s a community that will help elevate you.
7. Remember it’s the majority that gets the vote. Every action you take toward your goal is a vote. So long as most of the votes are in your desired direction, then any instances where you may have gone off plan aren’t going to upset or overturn that vote. One workout did not change your entire body — missing one workout isn’t going to either.
8. Know there’s no finish line. Anyone can lose weight, for example, but what I want to teach you is how to keep it off by making lifestyle changes. Think about it this way: You brush your teeth every day. Just because you brushed once doesn’t mean you’re done. Your fitness is another form of hygiene.
This was excerpted from “Goal-Setting That Sticks.”
