I hear people share what they want from their athletic selves all the time. It’s honestly one of my favorite (and at times frustrating) parts of my job. People who hope to lose 50 lbs. People who want to hike Camel’s Hump with their kids. People who dream of running a half-marathon again someday, once work is less crazy. People who would like to feel stronger and avoid the muscle loss associated with aging.
These are all great—but they are, thus far, absent a plan. Once you add a plan, that becomes a goal. Without a plan, they are simply wishes.
Don’t wish upon a star. Design a rocket ship, build it, and fly there.
Dream → plan → take action → achieve awesome things. That’s how goals work.
DREAM
We often fantasize and fixate on the destination… crossing the finish line of a marathon, looking in the mirror and seeing something different, speaking the language, or making the million dollars. That’s what the human brain likes to do: visualize the awesome result. And that part is undeniably valuable; without a target, we don’t necessarily know where we’re going or what path we should take.
Dream big. Let that dream really take shape, and focus on that image. Sow the wishful seeds of aspiration wide and plant them deep. Having clarity about what we’re trying to achieve is step one; but unfortunately, visualization and fixation alone don’t make changes. We need a plan.
PLAN
Yes, this is where I throw in my obligatory pitch to GET A COACH so they can help you make an awesome plan and hold you accountable. Find an expert in that field—not necessarily the best in the field, but somebody who is excellent at teaching it—and get their help. This will absolutely accelerate your path toward results.
To make a plan, you need to identify the actions that will be required to achieve that goal. What are the repetitions of behavior, the daily tasks, and the environmental tweaks that will germinate into results? Depending on your goal, you may need to make changes every day, multiple times a day. Other habits may be weekly.
What habits and strategies will you need to add, and what will you need to subtract? The plan should include provisions for when (not if) you drift from it—how do you get back on track? (That way, even if you falter, it was all part of the plan.)
How long will the plan be? When, along the way, will you check in with yourself—or somebody else holding you accountable—to see if you’re following through? And when will you occasionally test progress to see if the plan is working?
TAKE ACTION
Dreaming and planning were fun… but here comes the hard, unglamorous part that takes weeks, months, and years: take action.
Do the things. Take the steps. Implement the habits. Avoid the detours and speed bumps. FOLLOW THE PLAN. The path may be long, but this is the way.
Keep yourself motivated by tracking (and celebrating) your commitment to the process. I suggest not harping on results when you’re still in the first third of your journey. Focus on the journey itself. Create strategies that keep you on task—and even enjoying it—so your likelihood of follow-through skyrockets.
Buddy up with somebody who has the same Goal → Plan → Action mindset and dig into the process together. Eventually, you’ll get to celebrate the progress together.
