Tips on Keeping Monthly Goals
Here we are, the final week of 2014. As we say good bye to another year, we tend to look back and see all that we have done, or sometimes, all that we could have done to make our fitness dreams come true. Whether this year was the year you made all of your goals and stuck to them, or maybe this was one more year of making plans and falling short, it is time to learn from the past and prepare for the future.
January is the month that most people make the biggest goals in terms of fitness, and many other things in life. We go into the new year feeling like we really have another chance to make things happen for us. Idealism is high and solid ideas are often low. Here are a few tips to help you get through more than just the first week of the new year.
Number One: Small Plans and Big Goals
Make your plans bite sized. When we plan to “run a mile everyday for the entire year” we are setting ourselves up for trouble. Consider four week plans, and have room for growth and change. One of the primary reasons for burn out in new year’s resolutions is boredom. It is not so much that we are working too hard, as it is that we are planning too far ahead and offer little change.
Number Two: Reward Often
Create a reward system that can build from month to month. If you have a goal every four weeks why not earn something for it. By having something to look forward to at the end of a mere thirty days rather than a full year, there is more chance of success each month. Let your rewards fit the goal. If your monthly goal for January is simply to change your diet plan and stick to it, do not ruin all the hard work with a week long binge in February.
Number Three: Stack ‘Em Up
If January is about just getting to the gym everyday, or if it is about skipping that extra serving of dessert, what does February look like? Add a little something more each month while staying true to your larger arching plan. It may still seem small as you step up the path to the ultimate prize, but at least falling back each month will not destroy all of your progress. If you are still making it out every day but you have not stuck to February’s higher goal post, it is not a total loss.
Stay tuned for even more fitness planning and great new ideas for each month. Make your plans before January first and you will be more likely to keep your eye on the prize.
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