Setting goals may be one of the most important steps to take when you decide to start your fitness journey. And it may be more complex than you think.
All goals should be based on the (SMART) principle which stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. When goals are set properly, they can be the difference between aimlessly wandering through your fitness journey and having a concrete idea of the results you want and what you need to do to get them.
SMART goals can act as your fitness road map.
There is an endless number of benefits to setting goals. These are six of the most valuable in my eyes:
1. Make You Accountable: When you set goals for yourself you are essentially making a contract with yourself that you are going to do your best to reach a certain outcome by a certain date.
Pro tip: When you write your goals down or share them with others it greatly improves your goal commitment.
2. Keep You on the Right Path: If you fail to set a specific goal when you start a fitness plan you may lose sight of why you began in the first place and end up way off course. When you follow SMART goals you will be able to focus on the things that are most important to you.
3. Motivation: When you have that one specific goal that you are striving to reach by a certain date it motivates you to put in the work and to not skip out for various “excuses” that we are all prone to using.
4. Peace of mind: Do you ever end up at the gym wondering what you should do or stressing out beforehand because you don’t have a plan of action? Avoid this stress by setting fitness goals. Using that as the foundation for your plan of action and fitness routine, your workouts will fall into place much easier with a specific goal in mind.
5. Easily Measure Results: When you have a specific goal you are working towards you are able to measure your results easily. This is because you know what measurements need to be taken as a baseline before you start working towards your goals.
6. Allow a Trainer to Provide Guidance: If you ever ask a trainer for advice or guidance, one of the first things they will ask is what your goals are. If they understand exactly what you want to accomplish they are able to help you accomplish it.
At the essence of every fitness plan is a goal, so make sure it is a SMART one.
Fitness goals may be the most vital piece to your fitness plan. The success you achieve can always be attributed to setting effective ones. Become the best you can be by building a strong foundation for your fitness journey. Don’t lose sight of what you truly want to achieve through fitness.
