I used to think goal setting was silly. It seemed like a
lot of ups and downs sprinkled with disappointments. Does anyone ever really
reach a goal? It just seemed like an excuse to try hard for a while then give
up. Plus, why wouldn’t you work 110% all
the time? Do you get to chill after the deadline comes? What if you never set
another goal, do you get to work at 80% for the rest of your life?
So naturally, I rolled my eyes when my husband told me he
would take me on a cruise if I stayed on an exercise plan for an entire year.
I’ve tried before and failed and failed and failed. The day after his
challenge, I started thinking about why I would fail—then I couldn’t find any
excuses. I bought these DVDs on eBay for $25 so it’s not a huge gym membership.
The exercises are low impact so the risk of injury was low. They take 25
minutes a day, so time isn’t a concern. Even my doctor said I needed to do
something.
Then I remembered Nike: Just Do It.
Nike didn’t say to” Just Do It” if you liked it. They
didn’t say “Just Do It” if you already look good in the exercise clothes. Just
do it.
That’s what I have to do. I will go on my cruise next year.
Here are some tips I’ve learned:
·
Find something you at least semi like: My DVDs
are hard but I love stretching. You might not like every aspect of your job,
but you have to like parts of it.
·
Don’t set the goals too high: My husband didn’t
say I had to lose x amount of weight (smart man) or get a six pack. He just
wants me to be healthy. He knows I want to be fit. I have to stick to the plan
and track my progress—however slow it may be.
·
Tell someone: I thought this was dumb, too,
until I thought about telling my husband that I wanted to skip a day to watch
NCIS for 11 hours. Fear of embarrassment can be an excellent motivator.
Find something that works for you. I think it’s OK for you
to enjoy it—nobody set goals to drink more beer or anything, though.
