Happy New Year, Everyone!\u00a0 For many, the start of a brand-new year means looking forward.\u00a0 It means setting goals about what you hope to accomplish over the next 12 months.\u00a0 It means thinking about things you’d like to change or make different.\u00a0 All good stuff!\u00a0 But how do you ensure that THIS year you’ll be in the 20% of folks who actually accomplish their goals, not in the 80% of folks who fall off the goal wagon by mid-Feb?\u00a0 Well…in addition to looking forward you also need to look backward.\u00a0 You need to take the forward-backward approach to achieving your goals.<\/p>\n

As athletes we are used to this forward-backward approach.\u00a0 We set an end goal (the forward part) & then we create the small day-to-day steps needed (the backwards part) to inch our way to goal completion.\u00a0 That’s just a solid training approach, right?\u00a0 So why not do the same for New Year’s Goals?<\/p>\n

The trick is to give yourself enough time to move in small, almost imperceptible steps.\u00a0 This is where most people (including athletes) go wrong.\u00a0 They bite off too much too soon.\u00a0 Believe me, I get it!\u00a0 It’s Jan. 4!\u00a0 It’s the start of a New Year & we’re all full of motivation, energy & desire to change!\u00a0 Why not use that momentum to implement 180-degree pivots?\u00a0 Because, of course, motivation, energy & desire are all fleeting…they are temporary states…they are not permanent.<\/p>\n

So, in order to keep moving forward when the going gets tough (because it absolutely will), we need to rely on structure.\u00a0 This is why looking backwards is so helpful.\u00a0 If you only focus forward on the end goal, it won’t be enough to keep you going when life interferes.\u00a0 Without a solid system to get you from Point A to Point B, you’ll quickly lose your way forward when illness & injury strike or your priorities change because of work, family, friend commitments.<\/p>\n

Compare that with a focus on process rather than outcome.\u00a0 When you plan backwards you identify the small steps that, when combined together, will progress you forward.\u00a0 With a thoughtful day-to-day structure in place, you’ll miraculously find yourself so much closer to achieving your end goal simply because you did each tiny, small, baby step.<\/p>\n

How about a real-life example?\u00a0 One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to be a person who regularly meditates.\u00a0 OK, the end goal (the forward part) is set – be a person who regularly meditates.\u00a0 Next, I need to create the tiny steps that ultimately support this goal (the backwards part):<\/p>\n

\n
1. In Jan. I’ll do a single 05 min meditation session after an AM workout per week.\u00a0 That’s seriously not difficult…only 1 session for 05 min??\u00a0 I can do that!<\/li>\n
2. In Feb. I’ll increase that 1 session to 10 min.\u00a0 Again…how hard is that??!!\u00a0 Just 1 session for 10 min!\u00a0 Yep, I can do that.<\/li>\n
3. In Mar. I’ll increase to 2 x 10 min sessions after AM workouts.\u00a0 Totally doable.\u00a0 I can certainly find 20 min in a whole entire week to meditate.<\/li>\n
4. In Apr. I’ll increase to 3 x 10 min sessions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

   And so forth & so forth…you get the idea.\u00a0 By the end of 2024, this system, made up of small adjustments over time, will bring me so much closer to my goal of “being a person who regularly meditates”.\u00a0 It’s almost like magic, right?!<\/p>\n

   For a great read on the power of systems on goal achievement, check out James Clear’s Atomic Habits<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0 And if you’d like help setting up your training system(s)<\/a>, set up a 30min Free Consult<\/a>.<\/p>\n

   May you have the best year yet!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

   Happy New Year, Everyone!\u00a0 For many, the start of a brand-new year means looking forward.\u00a0 It means setting goals about what you hope to accomplish over the next 12 months.\u00a0 It means thinking about things you’d like to change or make different.\u00a0 All good stuff!\u00a0 But how do you ensure that THIS year you’ll be<\/p>\n

   Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3347,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,3],"tags":[37,128],"class_list":["post-3346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coach-michelle","category-training-tip","tag-goal-setting","tag-process-vs-goal"],"yoast_head":"\n