Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
As a personal trainer part of my job includes asking clients to share their goals and what they would like me to help them with when it comes to their health and fitness. It’s during this initial consultation that the client will share with me what has worked for them in the past, what they like, don’t like, etc.
Human beings are designed to want to set goals and achieve them. Goals fuel the desires of our heart and help us to live out our lives to the fullest.
I don’t think anyone ever sets a goal or takes on a challenge with the intention of giving up. However, I do think that setting goals that are unrealistic or not your own can be a recipe for failure. What’s motivating you is a very important thing to consider when pursuing your dreams and goals. Is it a strong desire in your heart or are you wanting acceptance from another person? It’s okay to prove to the world they were wrong about you as long as it’s something YOU want. Simply wanting “revenge” is still allowing another person or society to control your life.
Once you’ve determined that the goal you’ve set is something that is important to you and you would do it whether people cheer you on or not, take a moment to look closely at the goal you’ve set and ask yourself whether or not it is aligned with your values and current priorities.
While looking like your favorite Hollywood celebrity may seem like a fantastic goal, after discovering what’s required you may decide that it’s not the goal for you. Even more importantly, you might discover that due to your natural body type it would be extremely unhealthy and painful for you to even attempt to get there.
To achieve true success it’s critical that your goals be your own. Copying someone else’s life will never feel quite right because it wasn’t meant for you. It’s okay to follow general guidelines and success patterns, but your own goals need to be customized to fit your life and should be meaningful to you.
It’s also important to set boundaries around your goals. Some trainers and/or coaches can unintentionally set goals for you. While their intentions are good, they can set the client up for failure if they are imposing goals that are unrealistic or do not fit and serve the client’s lifestyle.
Goals Are Like Oxygen
The fitness industry often makes too many assumptions that everyone wants to live and look just like a fitness model. While that might be something everyone would love to naturally achieve, not everyone wants to live the lifestyle of a fitness model nor do they have the body type to look like the models most fitness magazines hire. Avoid allowing a coach or trainer to try to stuff you into their box of what they think your goals should look like. This principle doesn’t have to be limited to health and fitness and can apply to any area of your life.
Goals are like oxygen. They help us get out of bed in the morning. No matter what the goal is related to (i.e. family, personal, business, etc.), I encourage you to follow your own personal path. I personally believe that God has a unique journey planned for each and every one of us and when we follow that inner voice, we walk toward our destinies.
Shared with love,
Jennifer