I often wonder if we are becoming complacent as humans. Are we so used to instant gratification that we don’t see the value in striving for things that will ultimately bring us much more joy than a moment of instant gratification?
Did we get so used to clicking “buy now” and waiting for the doorbell to ring that we have forgotten about taking care of our bodies which literally are the only home our souls have to live in? Have we completely become obsessed with the pursuit of instant joy that we cannot remember that happiness comes from accomplishing things we never thought possible by working towards it? Gosh, I sure hope not.
Creating change, discovering joy and happiness, and bettering our own health takes intention and integrity. We must get uncomfortable by breaking old habits that feel nearly impossible to break. We must say ‘enough is enough’ with our continuous cycles of self-sabotage and starting again tomorrow. And we must find the value in our own self-worth to break down barriers and feel what it feels like to reach unimaginable goals. Oh, and guess what – it doesn’t happen as fast as Amazon Prime Delivery. It takes setting some really juicy goals to light a fire under our butts so we can reap the reward of our hard work.
What is a goal? When I think about goals, it brings me back to high school phys. Ed class where they preached “S.M.A.R.T.” goals. While there is some truth to that, creating goals is so much more than a specific, measurable, attainable, realistic goal with a timeline.
A goal is an intention set by you in order to move towards something that you know would feel good for you through the simple act of striving for it or completing it. Sometimes even half way towards a goal can feel amazing! Imagine your goal is to lose 100 lbs and you lose 50lbs, I bet you would already be feeling pretty awesome. I think some people think you need to complete a goal to have it mean something, but the meaning you give the journey is your ultimate reward. What lessons did you learn along the way? That’s what I take from every goal I set, whether its realized in full or not.
Take one of our members Shannon who this year has lost over 50lbs. When she first took on the Downsizing challenge with Inner Fit she had her sights set on winning the cash prize but so much more has happened for her this year. She continued to join our other challenges, set new goals, and has continued to lose more weight and accomplish bigger things than the scale. Just recently she put on her wedding dress that was 4 sizes too big! Imagine how good that felt for her.
A goal is a starting place for you to begin your focus. You best indicator of your future self is your past self, unless you make the decision to take the steps to create change. We all think that we can just keep staying comfortable and hope things will change but we MUST get uncomfortable and that starts with a goal and then taking action.
A challenge takes that goal and gives it a clear timeline. Let’s say your goal is to get back to your lowest adult weight. By taking on a challenge timeline, you allow yourself the time to work towards that goal versus saying every day “I will start tomorrow”, which we all know where that leads to – a goal never realized.
Here are 11 Steps that perhaps will help you get starting when thinking about goals and an invitation to join us this September for the Inner Fit 90 day challenge. You can join us in the studio or online.
1) Set a Specific Goal that Will Scare You and Fulfill You at the Same Time
2) Set a Goal that Undeniably has an Outcome You Can Measure
3) Set a Goal So Big It Creates a Feeling of Nervousness and Vulnerability (HS$#! And OMG!)
4) Get Real About Timelines and Be Reasonable in Your Timelines
5) The Big Goal and the Little Goals Need to Flow Together
6) Your Goal Must Light a fire Under You!
7) Create Non-Competing Goals
8) Play the Role as Though You Have Already Achieved It
9) Keep the Dream Alive Through Repetition
10) Create an Unshakeable Belief Around Your Goals
11) Visualize Daily – Use your guidebook to help.
Every time you reach a goal…
- Celebrate/Reward with Yourself and Others
- Keep List/Photos of Achieved Goals
- Set New Goals Continually
The reason a 90-day challenge is so helpful is because it gives you time to focus on your own goals and learn how to set and achieve goals that excite you enough to look forward to the future.
With the Inner Fit Challenge, we offer an entire workshop on Goal Setting (along with so much more) and will break down each step to help you find your ‘why’ and be done with living in a world of instant gratification that is ultimately only temporary joy.
Imagine how it would feel to reach your weight loss goal and do all the things you would love to do with your newfound body freedom? That’s why we created this challenge, so you can experience those awesome emotions day in and day out and learn that instant gratification is just that – instant and then it goes away.
Let’s find a better way together!
Written by Rachel Seay
Founder of Inner Fit Studios
Rachel Seay, Founder of Inner Fit Studios 