Before You Charge Towards Goals : DO THIS!

Years ago, whenever I set goals, it took all my energy and will power just to follow through. It would deplete me of everything – my energy, my mood, my joy, my optimism. It took everything for me to get up and get started without just jumping off the bandwagon.

I would set goals hoping to find joy and optimism and connection when I had reached that goal. I believed Id only be happy once I saw a certain number on the scales or ran a marathon under a certain time cap.

Id push myself relentlessly and and beat myself up along the way.

Some of the things I would say to myself were just awful.

It was exhausting because it would take all my energy to get started and even more energy to start again when I had inevitably messed it all up, not followed through and self sabotaged in ways you wouldn’t even believe.

Now, after a load of inner work and dedication to mindset mastery – I know I have to start the process of setting goals WITH joy, optimism and connection, or not at all.

What we do BEFORE we get started will ultimately dictate how successfully we follow through.

The period of time before you get started is the make or break of the goal you want to hit.

What I suggest is that you pay close attention to the things you do in the lead up to working towards any goal. Consider it your own pre launch.

What do you need to do in the days and weeks leading up to getting started? You cannot simply join a gym and jump in blind and expect to be developing new habits and building a healthier happier lifestyle without it being a conscious choice you have made for yourself.

Steve and I each have our own framework for our ‘pre launch’ period before we start working our asses off to reach a goal.

You can use your own framework again and again and save yourself the crazy stress and anxiety each time you decide its time to work towards a new goal in the gym.

Is the work of working towards goals worth anything if you are all out of steam by the end of it? If I’m not happier healthier and more fulfilled – what is the point?

Whenever I feel a little off track or I am up for stretching towards the next level of myself these are the things I do before I step into a session :

1. Sort out my schedule and cancel things. I get ruthless in my ability to decide certain activities or outings are non essential. I look for ways I can take back time from my week. Something really simple is that I organise for my groceries to be delivered. Spending 90 minutes driving to the supermarket and walking up and down aisles is pointless – and so I don’t.

You cant simply add things to your week and expect not to feel overwhelmed. Making space for the things I have decided matter most is the most important thing I can do to make sure I follow through on investing my time and energy towards working towards the goals I have set.

2. Which leads me to my next point: Time blocking.
The single most powerful tool in making sure I do the things I say I am going to do.

I get really clear about when Im going to the gym and what else I need to do in order to keep going to the gym. So I time block my sessions, I time block food prep and I time block rest and recovery.

So in my schedule you will see the times Im training, the 4 hours I spend a making delicious, healthy meals that keep me well fuelled and well fed and the hour a week I will get a massage.

The sessions by themselves aren’t enough – I need to time block the habits that will support me in continuing to get my ass into those sessions.

Time blocking means that these things will get done. There is NOTHING in the world that I will prioritise in the times I have committed to these things. So when someone asks me to do something when I should be cooking my meals for the next two days in that time, I don’t decide to just do that later – I say, sorry I have a commitment at that time, Ill be free after that.

Giving yourself full permission to treat your goals like they matter and time blocking so that you can actually action your intentions will see you following through.

3. The third thing is kind of silly – but it works for me. I buy one or two new items of work out gear that ill be excited to wear when I train. Can you wear literally anything when you train? – probably.

Does it feel a million times better to be comfortable and somewhat excited to rock your cute new outfit when you train.

Yes. So I do that -I anchor my commitment to training with increased intensity by investing in quality pieces that feel comfortable to train in.