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Goals are the Difference Between Success and Failure

RSG-ColorGoal-setting is imperative to implementing a new direction in your life, but when it comes to weight loss and fitness, well, this is the fun stuff! You get to think big!

Obviously since my theme for January is “Ready, Set … Goals!” I believe that goals are critical to weight loss. Like I said in Tuesday’s blog, you cannot get from where you are now (overweight or obese) to where you want to be (normal weight) without goals.

Understand, a goal isn’t a wish or a hope or a dream. It really doesn’t even matter how much you say you want it. When I was fat I wanted to lose weight with all my heart and soul.

But the only thing that matters is what you do about it.

Goals need to be specific, but they can be as big as you want them to be. You’re 120 pounds overweight but you want to lose weight and train yourself to run a marathon? Totally doable! Oh yeah, that was me! And guess what?! Totally done-able!

Long-term goals are the big, reach-for-the-sky type of ambitions that will not change from day-to-day. It may take months to achieve these goals; it may take years. That’s okay, we’ve got nothing but time, baby!

Do you have long-term weight loss goal in mind? Maybe it’s a dress size. Maybe it’s a specific outfit that’s still tucked away in the back of your closet. (Advice from a friend who’s been there: by the time you can fit into it, trust me, it’s out of style. Goodwill will love it, I promise.)

You’re going to set those big, long-term goals for yourself, but you’re going to spend most of your time on short-term goals. Short-term goals support the long-term goals in very specific ways. They are clear and detailed; they are progressive and cumulative. They are individualized just for you. They are personal and meaningful, and that’s why they work. They’re motivating because you created them yourself.

Short-term goals should define specific behaviors:

I will plan out healthy meals and snacks for the week ahead of time.

I will pack my lunch and snacks for the day every morning.

I will lay out my workout clothes every night before I go to bed.

I will not get off this treadmill until I’ve done 4 miles, no matter how long it takes!

And under no circumstances does the word “try” sneak into any of these short-term goals! If you just “try” to plan out healthy meals, guess what’s going to happen?!? You’re giving yourself and out and you’re gonna cave. No! No outs, no caving!

Both long-term and short-term goals are about reaching: reaching beyond your current circumstances for something better. Because goals are big and bold they give you the opportunity to find out what you’re made of.

When you test yourself, when you aspire to things you may never have dreamed you were capable of, and then do the work necessary to get yourself there, you come to realize that you’re made of some pretty tough stuff.

Goal-setting – and goal-achieving – is what keeps life fun and challenging. It’s what keeps us excited and motivated as we age. It’s what keeps me moving forward six years after I lost weight. Because this journey isn’t just about weight loss. It’s about finding out who you are and what you’re made of.

Guess what? You’re made of some pretty tough stuff. Me too!

Losing weight is hard, but once you tap into your goals it gets a whole lot easier. And you’re so worth this!

Let’s go get it!

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