The year ahead - discipline, consistency, and accountibilty

The power of goal-setting no matter how big or how small can be instrumental in bringing success to all aspects of our lives. 

1. Stay positive - Is your glass half-full or half-empty? 
2. Motivation - Visualise your win, always remember why you started!
3. Tracking - Break it down, you never ran before you walked (or did you?!)

"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” - Tony Robbins

It's a new year. We have 365 days, 52 weeks, 1 whole orbit of the sun to do whatever the hell we want. If that's not fuel for positivity then I don't know what is. Be bold. Dream big. Most importantly, be yourself. 

There are so many studies into goal-setting it is possible to ignore the science, but for me personally, without goals I don't have purpose (that sounds dramatic I know) and fuel my hunger to set more goals...

...so what does 2024 look like for me?

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to say they are vague goals, but it is the start of the year, and this is just my foundation. These are just my "health" goals - I have career goals, and personal goals (all with different time-spans) the important but is to get them down on paper. 

“A goal is not always meant to be reached; it often serves simply as something to aim at.” –Bruce Lee

Achieving any goal is something to celebrate. Never be shy about rewarding yourself when you successfully reach a goal. Alternatively, there is no benefit to punishing yourself when you are unsuccessful. Stay kind to yourself and focus on the positive progress you are making over the long term. At the start of your journey, always think that you have hit your goal. Think it. Visualise it. "Who will I tell first?" "Who will I show first?" 

You are probably thinking what's an ice bath go to do with goals. Well, it hasn't but I want to talk about thinking and visualising. I know it's cold. I know it will hurt. Standing at the side, I imagine getting in, which foot first, then without hesitation I climb in. I imagine laying on a really hot beach, my body soon adapts. Every breath I celebrate, I am still in the ice, at any point I can get out and it will be a win. 

“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do. – Steve Jobs

See the bigger picture. Dream big. Write it down. Break it down. Are your smaller building blocks SMART?

• Specific: Identify what exact actions will be taken.
• Measurable: Choose a metric that will allow you to know progress is made.
• Achievable: Ensure you have the resources and skills to be successful.
• Relevant: Make sure this task fits your values, and life purpose.
• Time-bound: Create a closed loop of shorter smaller tasks.

Create methods for receiving regular feedback on your progress. Perhaps it is self-reflection in a journal. Perhaps it is an app/software with performance tracking. Perhaps it's another human being vocal. Seeking healthy feedback gives you opportunities to track your goal progress and adjust those smaller building-blocks to set you up for more success.

Keeping track of how you are making progress on goals is very rewarding and will help you maintain focus, and keep your head held high and your energy up. It will also apply principles of preventive psychology by keeping you from getting discouraged and avoiding negative outcomes. I told you at the start your glass was half-full!

My latest race picture which was a training run for my A goal - Achieve Half Marathon PB (specifically sub 85 minutes) celebrated with a gingerbread latte (my favourite) and a medal (which I shared with friends as a #medalmonday post)

Do you set goals? Do you break goals down? Do you track goals? How do you feel when goals are not met? 

Here are some principles from the theory of Goal-Setting

1. CLARITY
   Goals that are clear and have specific outcomes are more likely to be completed successfully.
2. CHALLENGE
   More challenging goals will be more motivating than goals that are easy to achieve. Your goal must be challenging enough to require initiative, but never unreachable.
3. COMMITMENT
   Commitment means you genuinely wish to do what it takes to complete a goal. You must feel ownership and be sincere about taking on the many short-term goals. Without a commitment to the process, and occasional failure, you will be far less motivated.
4. COMPLEXITY
   The complexity of a task may not be evident from the beginning, but once understood, it should be broken down into a series of identified tasks, or postponed completely.