Goal setting is the deciding factor between success or failure when it comes to achieving a lifestyle of health and fitness and more importantly when starting a new fitness challenge. Goal setting is the ability to decide what you want to achieve in life – separating what’s important from what is irrelevant, motivating yourself and building your self-confidence as each goal is achieved.
Operating without a set goal will get you nowhere. Sure, you may still be exercising regularly and eating mindfully but without that concrete goal your efforts will yield little results and often end in poor motivation or slipping off the “bandwagon”. If you are not happy with your body, your fitness level or your progress, it might be time to reassess and rewrite your goals.
Learning how to set goals is a MASSIVE part of our 21 Day Bikini ATHLETIX Challenge. Women who set their goals at the start of the challenge and remain focused are the ones who achieve amazing transformations in just three weeks. People ask us all the time how our Vixens can have these crazy transformations in just 21 Days and it all comes down to effective goal setting. Our Vixens have set their goal, aligned their mindset and take the actionable steps to achieving them. Here’s how to do it:
1 – Make it SMART – Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Time-Bound.
If your goal is to get “in better shape” you need to assess what it is you actually want to achieve. Perhaps you want to be able to run 5 km without stopping, or you want to drop 3 dress sizes – make it specific and measurable. A goal of “lose weight” is not as specific or measurable as a goal of achieving XX kg weight loss.
Use action words when setting your goals – ‘Run’, ‘Finish’, ‘Complete’ ‘Lose’, and ensure your goal is realistic. No matter how much you might want to go big with your goals, doing so might discourage you, as it may appear you are making little progress along the way. Break your long-term goal up into bite sized pieces which you can achieve in a timely manner – and set a time limit. Maybe it is your friend’s wedding or a community run. It doesn’t matter what it is, if you have an end date it makes it easier to stay focused on your goal.
2 – Write it down – Most people know intuitively (and research has proved) that writing your goals down significantly increases your chance of accomplishing those goals, yet most people have not been taught how to write effective goals. When you write something down, you are stating your intention and setting things in motion. Review your goals often as this reinforces your goal in your mind and keeps you moving towards it.
As part of the 21 Day Challenge Vixens are required to sign a “Contract to Self”, which outlines their goals and holds them accountable, by sharing it in the Challenge Private Group Forum. Not only will they be accountable to themselves and their Trainers, but also their fellow Challengers.
3 – Name your prize – Now you have set your SMART goal, take your motivation up to the next level by setting a reward for once you have accomplished your goal. No, this does not mean treat yourself to a junk food binge – your reward should have nothing to do with the unhealthy habits you are trying to change, but can be related to the changes you are seeing with your new healthy habits. Perhaps your reward might be a new outfit or a new pair of trainers. Your reward must be something that pairs with your new healthy habits and makes you feel good.
We reward the hardest working, best transformation Challenger with a Bondi Bather Bikini announced at the end of the challenge.
4- Picture it – Now you have your goal set and your reward in place, it is time to visualise how you will feel when you reach your goal. Find a quiet spot, close your eyes and imagine how it will feel when your goal is a achieved. Visualise how your clothes fit, how much confidence you have and how successful you feel. Visualisation helps to focus your thoughts and attention in one direction – towards your goal. An additional way of making the visual stick to the forefront of your mind is to write it out – 100 reasons why you want to achieve your goal sounds extreme but it works!
5 – The Path to Success – Stick to just a few goals at a time, this will help you to avoid losing focus. These steps will help mentally prepare you to take on the challenge of motivating yourself through your transformation process. Now, you just need a solid exercise and nutrition plan to push you through to your new body!
Join our next 21 Day Bikini ATHLETIX Challenge and we will let you in on the SECRET formula to our SUCCESS.
