At the end of the day, when the dust settles, this is likely the most important subject…
…ever.
Everyone always talks about motivation, and we can usually get a sense for whether someone is motivated to exercise in a split second. Today we aren’t talking about others, we’re talking about YOU.

In order to get amazing results, you need to reach a state of serious self-motivation

It all comes down to figuring out why you are doing what you’re doing and what the end point looks like. Once you develop a clear picture of where you’re heading, you’ll be able to plan your route more effectively, know when you’re off track sooner and ensure that you keep on going even if the weather changes, a tyre blows out or whatever obstacle you face along the way. 

1. What is your 6-month, 12-month and 5 year goal?

This is defining your destination. 
Before you start taking action, you need to know what it is that you’re working towards. So you can develop a plan, strategy and framework for arriving at your chosen destination with less of a struggle.

2. Write down 2 milestones for each goal in each timeframe

A milestone is a marker or a measure that you can use to quantify achieving your goal.
 Your milestones make up a large part of your accountability. Identifying your milestones helps you reverse engineer the best path towards your specific goals. They need to be specific and measurable, but most importantly, they need to be clearly written down so you can tick them off when you achieve them. 

3. Develop a plan

Planning is a crucial part of the journey to achieving your goals. The plan covers how you will reach your destination. 
The plan is rarely perfect from the outset. All you need to ask yourself is “what can I do to tick off my milestones and get closer to my goal”
Many people skip the planning step and get over excited having written down their goal that they just race into it. Without a plan you might be taking the long route to the destination. Take some time to plan before you set off. Then, as you’re going, you can refine and modify the plan if you can see a better path forward.

The plan aims to find the path of least resistance.

Weight Loss

Jane is a mother of two young boys and has slowly gained weight since having her children. She’s super busy and has hundreds of things on her daily to-do list. Jane’s boys are starting to get more active and she’s finding it harder and harder to keep up with their energy. Here’s Jane’s strategy.
6 month goal – to be able to climb the stairs without feeling puffed out
Milestone 1 – walk around the block in under 10 minutes
Milestone 2 – improve leg press strength by 10kg

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12 month goal – to lose 5kg and 1 dress size
Milestone 1 – lose 2kg
Milestone 2 – 7 days in a row without eating after 7pm

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5 year goal – to lose 15kg and complete a half marathon
Milestone 1 – Lose 7.5kg
Milestone 2 – Run 10km without a break

Jane’s Plan

Exercise Regularly

• Attend supervised exercise 1 x week with an Exercise Physiologist
• Schedule and complete 2 home exercise sessions per week
• Check in to exercise using the coach.me app

Improve Nutrition & Negate Poor Food Choices

• Meet with a dietitian and develop a meal plan & healthy snack ideas
• Create a shopping list using google docs and refer to it every week during grocery trips to avoid poor choices
• Check in to not eating after 7pm using the coach.me app

Accountability

• Print and laminate her goals and stick them to the fridge
• Share her goals and plan with her husband, kids and close family
• Tell 3 close friends about her goals
• Show her check ins to her Exercise Physiologist each week

Celebrate Milestones

Jane’s favourite restaurant is a authentic italian restaurant that’s in the top tier for price. As she reaches her milestones she will treat herself to a fancy dinner out as a motivation. Sounds delicious!

In our experience, the best results come to those who have clearly defined goals. The milestones and plan can change along the way if the initial ideas aren’t directing you towards your desired outcomes. Developing your goals and your why is the most important step. 
Even if you’re not yet sure what you want to work towards, keep it in the back of your mind. Eventually you’ll find some great reasons that will get you motivated to exercise.
If you’re struggling just let us know…we love to help people identify their goals. It’s usually the most exciting part of the process!