Toned.
Healthy.
Feel better.
These are all great goals, right?
Yes.
Those and similar lines are commonly what we hear from people on day one when we ask them what their goals are.
Although that's a great starting point, and we can work our magic, dig a little deeper, and find out the actual goals, it's important to have a clear understanding of what you actually want.
In order to have motivation to show up when you don’t want to (which will happen…a lot), you need to know your true purpose, your true “why.”
We often just go through the motions, try to exercise on a regular basis, eat healthier, but never have a specific target that we’re working towards.
Now...
There's no right answer as to what that target is, but it's really hard to achieve something if you don't know what you want to achieve.
So here are a few things that help...
There's the "fluffy" side of it, and then there's the analytical side of it.
Let's start with the "fluffy" side of it. The mental side.
The stuff that can't be measured, or it can't be plugged into a formula.
I call this exercise the 5, 6, 7.
I suggest you spend some time in the next day or two to complete this exercise.
Here goes...
What is your goal?
(1. ANSWER)
Why is that important to you?
(2. ANSWER)
Now, why is that important to you?
(3. ANSWER)
And, why is that important to you?
(4. ANSWER)
Why is that important to you?
(5. ANSWER)
Almost done, why is that important to you?
(6. ANSWER)
And finally, what would it mean to you when that happens?
(7. ANSWER)
The exercise is called 5, 6, 7 because the answers that you wrote for 5, 6, & 7 is actually what you want.
You may think you want to lose 20lbs, but after you go through this exercise, you realize your 5, 6, 7 is that you want to be able to run in the backyard with your kids, be healthy and active when they're older, and create more happy memories together.
The 20lbs is just a step that has to happen in order for that dream to come true.
So...that's the "fluffy" stuff.
The stuff that you just skim past, don't think is important, but then wonder why you don't have motivation to change.
If you really know your 5, 6, 7 you'll be forever motivated.
Now, for the analytical stuff...
This is a process I like to call reverse engineering.
And frankly, most people just never spend the time to do it.
Now, let me preface by saying, I think this stuff is irrelevant if you don't know your WHY, or your 5, 6, 7.
It's like money.
We all want more of it.
Why?
Why $100,000?
Why not $90,000 or $110,000?
Quite often it's just some random number that sounds good.
Just like fat loss.
20lbs.
Why 20lbs?
That's the 5, 6, 7.
So now let's say you have two goals.
1. I want to lose 20lbs.
2. I want to be able to do 10 push-ups.
The first question you have to ask yourself is...
Is it specific?
Yes.
Stronger is not specific. Being able to do 10 push-ups is specific.
Is it measurable?
Yes.
I can't measure "I want to be able to do push-ups."
I can measure "I want to be able to do 10 push-ups."
What's the deadline?
This is where a lot of people drop the ball.
Put a deadline on EVERYTHING.
Parkinson's law: work expands as to fill the time available
In short, whatever time you give yourself to do something, it will take you that long.
That's why a goal without a deadline very rarely gets achieved because the work will always keep expanding (you'll keep procrastinating).
So you have a deadline.
I want to be able to do 10 push-ups and lose 20lbs in 6 months.
Great...now the easy part.
Just reverse engineer that down.
20lbs in six months is 3.33 pounds per month.
You know if you lose 3.3 pounds in the first month you're still on track.
That's just under 1 pound (.82) per week.
You know if you lose 1 pound per week you're on track.
So now, all of the sudden, it seems more manageable.
20lbs seems daunting.
1 pound a week seems doable.
That's just reverse engineering.
You want to save $100,000 in 10 years.
That's $10,000 a year.
That's $833 a month.
That's $27 per day.
$100,000 seems daunting.
$27 seems doable.
Reverse engineer all of your goals down to manageable chunks, daily, weekly, and monthly.
Then, it's just a matter of putting in the consistent work.
But at least now you know exactly what the target is, and why you're hitting that target.
And...once that target has been hit...rinse and repeat the process for a new target.
1% Better.
Dedicated to Your Success,
Doug Spurling