Five Step Goal Setting Plan

A couple weeks ago I led a run and discussion with my local Lululemon.  My topic was goal setting, a topic I feel very passionate about.  The store manager asked me to write something up so she would know what direction I was taking the conversation.  The store liked it and I thought about it for a while…

When the day came we ran a three mile route that I mapped out.

After a selfie, it was time for the talk.

I was a little nervous that people might not embrace it but once we got started, I couldn’t have been  more wrong.

In fact, we stayed long past the session time discussing people’s goals.  Talking about their fears and nerves.  I could’ve been there all night!  So I decided to share the outline.  Now remember, read it out loud because that’s how I wrote it.

Maybe you’ll get something out of it too!

I’m gonna give you a couple minutes here to close your eyes for a minute and think about a goal you have right now.  Doesn’t have to be huge but it just needs to be something you hope to achieve…athletically or otherwise.

Now…

Let’s pretend we’re all sitting in a room by ourselves, at the count of three, I want you to say that goal out loud.  Ready….

VERBALIZATION

1….2…3…

There.  You did it!  You said it.

How did it feel to say and hear that goal?

Were you scared to verbalize it?

Does it all of a sudden feel more real?

Research has shown that simply writing it down or saying it out loud will make you up to 50% more likely to achieve that goal.

In May I completed my first Ironman, a goal that had been swirling around in my head for years but I wasn’t ever quite brave enough verbalize it.  That was until late last year.  All of a sudden it felt right.  So I shared my goal with my husband and after he gasped, he told me that I had his full support to go for it.  That started my goal achieving journey.

Would anyone be willing to share their goals more openly?

BEING INTENTIONAL

Why that goal?  What makes that goal so important?

One thing I’ve noticed over the years but sometimes just setting a goal for the sake of setting a goal isn’t enough.  It has to be backed by desire and intention.

What I mean by that is that when you told us all what your goal was, did you get a little nervousness in your stomach?  Did you mentally question yourself?

I believe goal setting has to be personal.  It has to come from a need to improve yourself in a very real way because in most cases, it’s going to be tough to achieve and without that fire, abandoning your goals is a very real fate.

ESTABLISHING A PLAN

So once you’ve gotten past the gut check, the next step is formulating a realistic plan to get there and FAST!

I can think of a few goals I haven’t achieved and the biggest reason I can see is that I didn’t have a realistic plan.

SO…now that you’ve verbalized your goals, spend a few minutes thinking about the plan to get there.

When will you work on your goals daily?  Be specific.  Be tactical.

Anyone want to share some of the steps they think they need to take?

How many of you create a plan at the same time as your goal?

What obstacles do you think stand in your way of sticking to the plan?

I’m a mom of two young kids, I work 40-50 hours a week in a demanding corporate job that sometimes has me traveling.  All those are very real obstacles but understanding what they are will help me ensure your plan can stand up to even the toughest challenges.

BE ACCOUNTABLE

The last step that I have found to work really well is to find an accountability buddy.  Maybe that sounds silly but it’s so important.

For me and my Ironman goal, it was a coach I hired.  He kept me honest and remind me why the plan was developed the way it ways.  Knowing he had been there and done that and to talk to him about why he trained the way he did helped me tremendously.

Your accountability buddy doesn’t have to be a paid coach.  It can be a spouse, a friend, or maybe someone around you who has a similar goal or a similar experience to the goal you’re trying to achieve.  If you need one, I’ll here for you!

Whoever it is, make sure you build into your plan regular check-ins.  Build it into your plan.  Have open and honest conversations about where you are in your training.  Don’t be afraid to brag some.  Building confidence is HUGE.

The other thing I’ve found very helpful is the support of the social media community.  Believe it or not, there are thousands of runners out there just waiting to give you all the support and encouragement you need. Finding them is easy too…use hashtags that speak to the type of people you want to connect with….

For example, Lululemon using the hashtag #MoreThanMiles

VISUALIZE IT

Take a moment.  Close your eyes and visualize yourself achieving that goal.  Cross that finishline.  Can you see it?  What are you thinking?  Are you happy?

Take a mental snapshot now and hold on to that.  You’ll need it when you’re deep in training and doubting yourself.

CRUSH IT

SO let’s end by just taking a minute to think about those goals you have and the steps you’ve written down.  It’s a great start but the rest is up to you!  Get ready to crush those goals!!