In our last post, we talked about setting SMART goals. Now, we’re going to dive a bit deeper into those goals and ways we can ensure you’re successful after you set them!
If you want to be different from the millions of Americans who fail to reach their goals, then you need to take a different approach. I want to outline three ways to help you accomplish what you want to this week, this month, this year.
We are going to look at your motivations, your support around the goals, and how you celebrate.
What’s your why?
Goal setting 101: where do we start?
First, you need to connect your goals, intentions, or habits with a powerful anchor. You need to find the motivation to keep you going when the next month comes, and the next, and the next.
So, what is the secret sauce to goal achievement? Understanding your why.
Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic
Extrinsic Motivation
Let’s talk about the two forms of motivation for a second. First, there’s extrinsic motivation. This is the motivation that comes from the outside. Think a cheering crowd as you cross the finish line, or putting on a smaller pair of pants after finishing a diet, or getting a raise after crushing the presentation.
Extrinsic motivation is powerful. We love to be praised for our accomplishments. But as you may have experienced, this form of motivation often falls short. When you are in the doldrums of trying to reach your goal, it’s hard to imagine the excitement you will feel once you accomplish it.
Intrinsic Motivation
That’s why we need to connect with a deeper form of motivation – intrinsic motivation. As the name suggests, intrinsic motivation comes from within. It’s a more powerful agent of change.
A few examples would be “I want to run a marathon because I want to prove to myself that I can do hard things and stick to a training plan while managing a busy life”. Or “I want to lose 10 pounds because I know I will feel more confident in public.”
Now, there’s no reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater. You can leverage the power of both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation for a lethal, goal crushing combo.
Let’s Get Started
Here’s a short exercise for you to perform: I want you to think about just one thing that you want to accomplish.
It can be inside the gym or outside the gym. Okay, got it?
Now, I want you to list 3 reasons why this goal is important to you. Not why it’s important to your spouse or children, not why it’s important for your boss or coach, but why this goal is important to you.
Save that piece of paper, you’re going to need it later on in our process!
Now, let’s move on to part two. Who’s in your corner? Everybody needs somebody. Let’s go!
