Motivation and Setting Goals - The Smart Way...

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The SMART Way To Set Goals!

By: Shannon Clark

Many people these days are excited to jump into a new diet or exercise program that promises them the latest and greatest results available. They are willing to do just about anything to achieve success regardless of what it takes.

This is a great thing, as these people show high motivation and are likely to stick with their program, however then need to be sure to set goals that follow the SMART principle so they can be sure what they are striving for will come true.

The SMART Principle

The SMART Goal Setting Principle Includes Setting Goals That Are:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timeframe
By following these principles you reduce your chances of setting goals that you wouldn't be able to obtain even if you had some sort of superhuman powers.

The 1st Principle

The first principle is Specific. This refers to setting goals that are clearly described so you know exactly what it is that you are working towards.
For example, rather than just saying you want to "bulk up", set a specific goal, such as "I want to focus on adding size to my arms".

If you just said you wanted to bulk up, it's too general to really help you determine what course of action you want to take.

Are you going to work on your whole body, or is it just one part that needs work.

How do you look in terms of being proportional? If you are strictly focusing on one body part will any other body parts begin to suffer?

By setting a specific goal, like adding size to your arms while maintaining your legs, you will know that you need to concentrate your weight training on your arms, but still keep up some cardio and a clean diet so that your legs don't also increase considerably in size and become out of proportional to your arms (assuming your arms were lagging to begin with which is why you have chosen this goal in the first place).

The 2nd Principle

The next principle to cover is Measurable.
This is extremely important as it will help you to know exactly when you have achieved your goal and will give you a much greater sense of accomplishment.
So referring to our previous example, instead of saying you want to "bulk up", say you want to add 1 inch to your arm size".

This is something that you can track and see your progress. Just think of how you will feel when you finally see that tape measure reach the magic number you are striving for. If you were just going for "bulk", well you can really bulk forever... and then how would you ever know when you were done?

The 3rd Principle

The third principle is Attainable. This is also critical because if your goal isn't attainable, chances are you will give up hope and either burnout trying to reach it or just quit. Someone who is currently 150 pounds, shouldn't set a goal to be 200 in 5 months.

While the goal is measurable, it definitely isn't attainable (at least not naturally). If this person sets this goal, they will no doubt feel like a failure as they approach the 4 month mark and have only gained 20 pounds and still have 30 more to go. In this case, it would be much better to set both long term and short term goals. The long term could be to get to 200 pounds but you then need to allow a much greater time frame to achieve this.

Then set smaller goals, such as 170 then 185, then 200, so that you can celebrate each achievement after you have reached it and since the goals aren't so large, you will be able to feel success within a shorter duration which will also serve to keep your motivation high.

The 4th Principle

Up next is Realistic.
This sort of ties in with attainable, as if your goal is unrealistic, you will also see a huge drop in motivation and will likely never keep pursuing this goal.

For example, and this is extreme, but lets say you are new to exercise, have been pretty much sedentary all your life, and you set the goal to do the ironman at the end of the year. Chances are, no matter how good your training is, this is just not a realistic expectation for you.

Everyone will have their own unique goals and what is realistic for one person may be completely different than what is realistic for another. This is why it's always important to look at your current status and set a goal for yourself, not based on what your training partner is doing.

The Final Principle

The final principle to follow is that of a Time Line.
All goals should have a set time in which you wish to achieve them. This will make sure you don't start getting lazy and push your workouts until 'tomorrow'.
When you see the date fast approaching, you will more than likely kick yourself into high gear to ensure you reach your goals on the date you set for yourself.

Once again, incorporate the other principles into this one and make sure the timeline is realistic, as this is critical to achievement. By setting a date in which you want to achieve your goals by you are making a way to hold yourself accountable.

Now most people hate deadlines, and granted, you may start to dread this one as well, however you will be doing yourself a favor in the long run by setting it because it will keep you on your toes and will make you much more likely to keep persisting and going after your dreams.

Conclusion

So, the next time you are about to embark on a new fitness or diet plan, take a look at what your goal is and make sure it follows the SMART principle, specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time oriented. By making sure it incorporates all of these factors, you will increase your rate of success and make the whole process much easier on yourself.

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Louis Dorman's Winning Fit Assignments!

By: Louis Dorman And Maria Kang

Welcome to Louis Dorman's Fitness College where you can receive the one and only "Adaptation Degree" - the only degree of its kind ever created designed specially from a former fatty. You must ask?

"Adaptation" - what the hell does that mean? It means the ability for an organism to efficiently adjust itself to the changes in its new environment.

What are the new changes that will create a ripple effect of success?

The change is the new, positive attitudes created by YOU to challenge yourself today, to get closer to the person you want to become tomorrow. Always remember that you become who you think you are.

Your ability to re-invent your body to 'adapt' to the new adjustments you created in your new positive mindset will give you the score you need to ultimately win in your personal, fitness contest.

We are here for one reason and for one reason alone: For personal development.

While your fitness journey is filled with concrete pain and vigorous trials at the gym - the biggest thing developing in this process of personal re-invention is the revealing of:

The Mind: the Mind that overcomes each mental setback.
The Body: the Body that strengthens through time and resistance.
The Spirit: the Spirit that unlocks and reveals itself as the powerful core housed inside all of us.

The First Step in achieving fitness success is to create a winning plan devised by you and you alone: for you are the only one who knows your personal injuries, private fears, emotional setbacks... you are the only one who can create the WINNING STRATEGY to battle the individual war you chose to fight.

I have created a "Lucky #7 Assignment Chart" I used to lose weight - These are quotes I often chanted in my head and strategies I frequently performed to lose over 140 pounds of fat - Underneath it all was a powerful spirit manifested in a new me: the strong me: the Louis Dorman I knew I was.

Assignment #1:
Create A Strong Team.

"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results."
-Andrew Carnegie

The great Andrew Carnegie said it best when he said that as a team we are invincible. Your team is made up of your mate, your family, your friends, your co-workers, etc.

These people hold you accountable to achieve your set goals and support you when you are not hitting your goals... most importantly, create a team who is like minded with you: positive, healthy, progressive and supportive.

When you are a friend to those who are also fitness minded - know that in your daily life, as you make a commitment and choice to complete a set fitness goal - it is soothing to know that there are hundreds more people in the same community doing the exact same thing.

Homework:

List the people in your life who are valuable to your personal cause and those who are toxic. List them and create an action plan to create an environment that mirrors the power you need to achieve your goal. Then create an Action Plan.

Assignment #2:
You Want Support? Learn To Give It.

"What's money? A man is a success
if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night
and in between does what he wants to do."
-Bob Dylan, US singer & songwriter (1941 - )

Success is all about creating circumstances that force you to succeed... accountability is a huge tool you can use to direct any life goal into a successful outcome. This week, if you weren't able to complete your goal, alter it a little bit so that you can complete it this week.

For example, instead of saying you will run three times last week and only did it once- this week make it a goal just to run twice this week. Always look at the step ahead not ten steps ahead.

My success was dictated on how much I helped others, because the more I helped others, the more I started holding myself accountable to listening to my own advice. This week the goal is to locate a weblog with a person who you feel a 'connection' with, whether it is goals, emotional issues, age, gender, whatever... and I want you to post advice on their blog.

Remember, that you can only get what you give. If you want support you need to give it.

Homework:

Follow through on your action plan this week and give support to others who are on your team and in your fitness community. Your ability to exchange your role frequently as a student-teacher will give you unique perspective that will lead you to greatness.

Assignment #3:
Take Action With Laser-Beam Focus.

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."
-Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin couldn't be more accurate when he spoke about his theory of evolution. Now, looking back at my personal change, I realize that the number one thing that made me successful was my ability to transform any discomfort and utilize that powerful energy and direct it towards my long-term goals.

Success not only comes from positive action - success also comes from positive re-action to people and the negative things surrounding us.

This week's TEAM GOAL is to stay focused. Create your game plan and stick to it. Stick to the very last calorie, the very last rep - the very last day. So that when Thursday comes along, you can enjoy yourself.

I mean this. Enjoy yourself on your free day/meal- without regret. Because you know that you worked out hard days before hand, and you will get back on track the day after. Remember your body loves surprises. See how your newly programmed metabolism reacts to the shock your going to give it this week. I know mine will love me.

Homework:

Evaluate past Action Plans, create a new one that adjusts to your personal challenges and STICK TO IT. Concentrate on your bodily actions. Concentrate on your mind's awareness. Concentrate on your spiritual transformation. Focus.

Assignment #4:
Find Your Core.

"There are two primary choices in life; to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them."
-Denis Waitley

There are two choices in any crossroad: failure or success - active living or passive dying. We are all here because we choose to not accept life's conditions as they exist, we are all here because we choose to change the conditions life presents us with and - transform it into personal power.

Even though I was born and raised in a small town, didn't have a trainer, didn't know how to cook clean - I figured it out. When you set a goal and design its realism in your mind, everything begins 'figuring itself out.' You begin to see all the tools you need to create the machine you envision in your brain.

One tool that is in constant use is your core muscle. The core is your back and abdominal muscles - the area of your body where all your power and strength stems from. Many people suffer from lower back injury or lack abdominal definition. This week, let's all focus on strengthening our core muscles by performing a simple "Plank" exercise.

This exercise targets your TVA or Transverse Abdominal. It is your deepest core muscle hidden underneath your Rectus abdominal (6 pack) - I like calling it your support belt.

Position your body in a neutral push-up position on hands or elbows (if this is still too strenuous get in an all four position with knees on the ground).

Make sure your shoulders are directly above the elbow or wrist (if you are on your hands).
Draw belly button in without curving or hunching your back

Hold position. Perform 3 sets and hold for 1 minute each (vary according to strength level).

Homework:

Besides posting your Action Plan, completing it and giving support to others on the site, this week I want all of you to perform one exercise involving Core Training.

Assignment #5:
Give Gratitude Each Step Of The Way.

"The deepest craving of human nature is the need to feel appreciated."
-William James

When we train and challenge ourselves to become our very best, we are satisfying our most basic human hunger- and that is to become visible - to exhibit to the world our uniqueness by recreating a physical body that matches our internal strength.

I was the exact same person internally when I was heavier: I was creative, focused, hard working and strong. But not many people saw that: the only thing people saw was my inability to be disciplined enough to train my body and moderate my food intake.

As William James quoted, I craved peer appreciation - I craved social identification - I craved to have everyone really see the real me: the powerful me: the Louis Dorman I 'thought' I was.

Your ability to transform this 'craving' into a real satisfying hunger is your golden key: you know which one I am talking about - the one that 'eats' at you every time you look in the mirror or pushes you a little harder when training. It's the one that makes you write your action plans, update your workout charts and support others who also have that same thirst for greatness.

Add this to your list: Show appreciation to those who helped feed your hunger.

Homework:

I want EVERYONE who reads this to briefly write a one liner, two liners or a paragraph of a person, place or thing that you appreciate and give gratitude to, for helping you on this road to success.

Assignment #6:
Create The Correct Circumstances.

"The Starting Point of All Achievement is Desire."
-Napoleon Hill

Two things happen when you start to desire something: first you get motivated to achieve it then you create inner fear for if you don't achieve it. When you get intimidated by desire and fear you get stuck in a paralyzed universe of inaction.

Team, this personal war is all about action. It is about progress and most importantly, it is about desire.

"I believe that motivation + goals + circumstance = success."

For those of you skeptics: I'm not bullsh*ting when I write this stuff. I mean it.

I suspect that everyone here has the motivation (which is why they joined) and has some goals: which is why they are posting, but the next question is: have they created the circumstances?

These circumstances are created so that when your 'desire' to attain the goal becomes wavering - your circumstances won't allow you to give up. It could be because you held yourself accountable to co-workers or your spouse. It could be because you paid thousands of dollars with a personal trainer, joined a competition or booked a vacation at a beach resort. It could be because you threw away all your old clothes and vowed you wouldn't purchase anything until you were three sizes smaller.

I questioned my circumstances a few times before I moved from my home state of Missouri to the bustling city of Phoenix, Arizona almost six years ago. I knew that I desired something so badly - so badly that I created a passionate energy that I channeled to accomplish huge feats in my weight loss success.

The lesson here? I created my circumstances. I consciously decided to not go back home until I proved everyone wrong. I made new friends, got a new job, joined a new gym - I created the progressive circumstances needed to succeed.

Not only did I create a new physical environment, but I also created a new mental environment: I lived the dream to be in shape in my mind. There was no way out because I desired it so much. So much that I couldn't imagine life if I didn't re-create my mind's reality into the physical reality.

Homework:

Create circumstances that will make you accountable for achieving tangible success in the next three months. Write it down. Post it on your bathroom mirror and make it happen.

Assignment #7:
Understand You.

"Effective people are not problem-minded; they're opportunity-minded. They feed opportunities and starve problems."
-Stephen Covey

How effective are you when you are unable to work out and eat right if you can't afford a gym membership? What if you are surrounded by sugar and sweets in the holiday season - how effective do you become?

Your ability to change your perception from a problem to an opportunity to 'gain' a lesson will ultimately measure your personal proficiency to overcome any life adversity, including your challenges in your weight loss/gain battles.

For Example:
When I traveled in a moving truck all day (couldn't get to the gym), I created the 'opportunity' to perform jump squats and lunges during restroom breaks.

When a restaurant didn't serve nutritious meals I worked with my server to find an 'opportunity' to politely order an alternative meal with substitutions.
When I am really busy, I wake up an hour earlier just to get my work out in.
There are a ton of excuses in a single day to find a bunch of problems/challenges/obstacles to prevent you from fulfilling that daily fitness goal. Whether it is eating five clean meals, taking your multivitamin, running twenty minutes or even drinking enough water.

Homework:

Reflect on one of the "excuses" you have given this past year (the year of 2005) - the one you used most often, that prevented you from getting to your fitness goal.

We all have it. I have it. Being able to reflect and communicate your thoughts to yourself is a powerful mind tool that will assist you in devising a more personalized program based on your private battles.

Conclusion

These are my first "Lucky 7" Assignments. Remember that your fitness war is won one battle at a time. Conquer these seven and you will be that much closer to manifesting the strength of your tenacious spirit; the same spirit that made you read this. Good luck, and do your homework!

About The Authors:

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By: Kristi Lees

The key to success is having the motivation to follow through with your ideas and put them into action; to set goals and actively work towards achieving them. According to the Webster's Dictionary to motivate is to "provide with a reason for doing something" these reasons can be either external or internal.

External factors of motivation come from outside sources such as friends, family, teachers, role models etc. Offering prize money and material rewards can also help to motivate people on an external level. These types of encouragement can be good at times but because we have no direct control over them, as a source of motivation they can be fairly inconsistent.

Providing an internal reason to follow through on your goal is a much more powerful type of motivation. Having an inner flame to constantly spark the fire is the most reliable form of motivation one can have. Desire for self improvement, a vision, a dream or working towards some sort of personal achievement are all types of internal motivation.

Using outside influences can help to motivate a person initially but at the end of the day it is the internal factors, the inner desire that will keep the motivation sustained in the long run. It is the inner passion that will drive you to the end. It is the inner fire that is the key to your success!

Getting Motivated

Defining A Goal
The first step to getting motivation is to define the goal, the purpose, and the desired outcome. When you have a clear picture in mind it is easier to set the path to where you need to go. Without this goal and insight it is easy to float around mindlessly without direction and with a lack of motivation to do much of anything.

It can be of great help to write down your goals, figure out your whys, and predict any potential setbacks. This is an essential exercise for motivation and success that should be done on a regular basis. Goals change over time as does your place on the path toward achieving them, it is important to stay open to the process and review your goals as needed.

What is it that you want to achieve? What is the bigger picture? Once you can see this it is helpful to break it down into smaller steps as to not get too overwhelmed with the process. Losing weight is always a common example... say you want to lose 20 pounds. Great you have a goal, now what? Break it down into smaller steps like this:

Join a gym
Make commitment to go at least 3-4 times a week (be specific with days and times and try your hardest not to break these "gym dates")
Clean out cupboards of junk and learn about healthier food choices

Identifying A 'Why'

Next it is important to identify a 'why'. Why is it so important for you to achieve this goal? Having a good reason to follow through on your ideas and reminding yourself of it daily can act as a source of motivation on those days when you are feeling a bit under the weather.

Knowing that taking a step, no matter how small, is going to bring you one step closer to your goal can often be enough to kick start the engine and get you out the door. Some questions to consider:

Why am I currently unhappy with this situation?
Why did I get to this place?
Why must I make the changes to get back on track?

Keeping Discipline

Not only do you need to consistently follow through on your goals but the act of getting into motion can be another unexpected form of motivation in itself. When results can be seen and felt motivation only gets stronger.

The more you can discipline yourself to follow through on your actions, regardless of your mood or any external factors that may arise, the easier keeping yourself motivated will become. You will no longer have to consciously think about it, it will become part of your daily lifestyle.

There will be setbacks on the way so it is important that you can begin to learn from these and move on quickly (hopefully stronger than before).

It is easy to be bumped off course and let your goals and dreams fall by the way side.

To stay motivated it is essential to learn from each mistake and get back on course straight away. This is the only way to ensure success.

Use your setbacks and challenges as lessons, not as obstacles on the course. When you are having a bad run stop and think:

Have I hit a rough patch before that I have managed to overcome?
What will happen if I do choose to give up now?
How will I feel in a week if I let go of my goals once more?

Some days motivation is stronger than others and the desire to "get up and at 'em" waxes and wanes. In such times it is helpful to review you goals, your purpose and to acknowledge how far you have already come. But most importantly, "just do it!" You know how good you will feel at the end.