My Kinda Goal Setting

Last night we had our 1st 818 Paleo Posse Meeting and we discussed the most important thing regarding our 7 Week Paleo Challenge...GOALS!

Yeah, yeah, yeah we all have goals. "I want to lose 30 lbs", "My doctor said I have to get my cholesterol down", "I want to run faster".

Goals are a funny thing. People want a lot of things. But as the old saying goes, Actions speak louder than words!

For us to actually accomplish our goals wanting them, saying them, or even writing them down, is not going to get them done. We have to change how we think, change what we do, and make it a long term pattern of behavior.

The problem is we are conditioned. Where we are today (career, financially, romantically and of course FITness wise) is a product of what we have done. We have thought the way we thought. Made decision after decision. And acted the way we've acted over and over and over again. And the result is who we are today. For us to actually even think about changing our behaviors we have to do a lot more than write down some superficial goals on a piece of paper.

It's time to get down and dirty with our Goal Setting and 'ACTION' plan.

The way I see it, is we have 3 layers to effect goal setting:
-The actual goal, and it must be specific.
-The reasons why, aka SUPER WHY!
-Old Pattern vs. New Habit

Specific goal setting: This is an easiest of them. Wishy-washy goals will get your wishy-washy results. We need to know exactly want we want to accomplish or we have no real measure of progress or purpose to our goal. I find there are 3 different categories of goals.

Physical = Look better naked vs. I want to lose 30lbs.
Health = I have to kick my meds vs. I have get off my medication in 6 months.
Performance = I want to run faster vs. I want to run a sub 6:00 minute mile.

SUPER Why: This is where you make things happen. When you make a decision to change and you know your reasons, you will harness the force that comes from the desire to make something happen. For example:

Goal: You see, it's one thing to say you've decided to lose 30 pounds and get in shape.
SUPER Why: It's a whole other thing to have your doctor tell you that you'll be dead in a year and never see you children's children if you don't lose 30 pounds, pronto.

I know that you know deep down inside you have a number of reasons for deciding to change. I can't tell you exactly what they are, but I can tell you they are there. If you are having trouble finding your reasons here's a question that will begin to help you:

WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF, DO YOU HONESTLY LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?
HOW DO YOU FEEL DEEP DOWN INSIDE?
HOW DO YOU REALLY FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF?

It's important to really look. Since we all "see" ourselves every day, we often don't notice if we're slipping. If we're not careful, the image we have of ourselves in our minds will not be in sync with reality.

Old Patterns vs. New Habits: Whether a pattern of action is good or bad depends upon whether it takes us closer to or pushes us further away from our goals. -Identify three "unauthorized" patterns of action that may hold you back and write them down.

-Identify three new patterns of action that will help you reach your goals and write them down.

Action Plan: "What the heck am I going to do with these goals now???" Like I said earlier, saying or writing down your goals is not going to make them happen. Here is a checklist for success:

-Write down your reasons to change on a piece of paper. Read it first thing in the morning and again at night before going to sleep. Do this every day. These reasons will remain your guiding light, your beacon, during the journey you have now decided to begin.

-Make a daily plan This harnesses the power of intention and decision-making. Every day, plan what you will do in advance (meals, workout time), and record it. The idea is not just to look at where you've been, but also to plan where you are going. You can plan, record and analyze your progress. Through your records, you can clearly see the path you're on. If you're not transforming as rapidly as you would like, you can go back and troubleshoot, with precision.

-Remember that everything you do in the real world is merely an external manifestation of what has already happened in your mind "If your mind can conceive it, you can achieve it." Anything that you want to happen in your life -- that you really want to achieve -- you have to rehearse in your mind.

-When you overcome resistance, you create the power to continually reach higher. As you become more experienced, as your level of expertise in whatever it is you're doing advances, the objective is to continually reach higher and become even more efficient. Once you learn that skill, once you develop higher and higher high points, you will not only experience continual progress, you'll be downright unstoppable. That's what keeps you growing. It's what keeps you excited. It's what keeps you feeling alive. These moments create momentum, and once you get this process started, you'll start making breakthroughs you never imagined.

Here's the deal...It is easy to stick to a diet, or a workout program in the beginning. We are excited, motivated, everything is new we just started. Then your old patterns WILL creep back into your life, and it is going to do everything in it's power to take you back to your old ways. You will get tired...You will get unmotivated...You will NOT want to go to the gym...Your husband or spouse will want your time...You WILL have to work late...You old patterns will be calling you back! And it won't happen once. Setting the proper goals, with the SUPER WHY's and knowing your old patterns and new habits is going to give you the confidence and tools you will need in the the heat of the moment. And when you WIN, it makes it sooooo worth it!