It's that time of year again. The time where we sit all bloated from the excesses of the holiday season reading through social media post after post about the latest greatest way to lose kgs or to cleanse with the greenest smoothies. Whilst here at CBD don't subscribe to all this new yr resolution jazz because we program for year-round Fitness & General Physical Preparedness (GPP), we do however see the value in using a springboard like New Year's Day to assess and set some goals. No matter who you are you ALL will have some form of ambition for 2017 & for being part of the Community at CBD. It could be a performance based one (I want a 100kg back squat), it could be an aesthetically based one (I want a 6 pack or I want to lose 10kg). Or it could be a personal one (I want to be able to run in the park and keep up with my kids/grandkids). All are fine and valid goals to a tee. One thing they all have in common is that they all aspire to something they want. If you believe you don't "have any goals" then take a moment to really look inside yourself and we reckon you will find a goal or two in there. It's human nature, we weren't created in life to just plod along. We are robust and ever-reaching humans who strive for something. Always have done, always will do. We'd like to share with you Coach Steph's tips for goal setting with you. She makes some very decent points on how to make them, set them and ultimately set yourself up for the best possible chance of achieving them. Let's see what she has to say........

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  “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm,” but I disagree. I believe that success consists of the sum of many much smaller successes – you just have to choose to see it that way".

Winston Churchill

Goals are funny things. Quite often we put a goal out into the universe as a single entity, almost as if we are wishing upon a star. I certainly believe that for some, just saying it out load is enough to set them on a path to success, however for me it takes planning, thought and most of all – time. I have learnt that the longer and rougher the journey, the more rewarding the end result. If you enjoy the process and you work hard on the framework the results will come. So lets break it down a little, here are my 6 tips in setting goals and setting yourself up for success.. In order to achieve success with your goals, there are some simple steps you can follow. After that it is up to you to put in the work and follow your own path.  1. Take the time to write your goals down. Make them enjoyable to look at and put them in your diary, on your fridge or pin them up at work. Somewhere you can see them everyday. 2. Next it is important to work out when you would like to achieve your goals by. Some will be short term and some will be longer term but make them realistic. If you happen to achieve your goal quicker than your decided time frame you are ALWAYS going to feel better about that than if your date comes and goes without success. In fact you are going to feel like a boss – and so you should, you’ve worked hard for it!! 3. Grab yourself a calendar. Break up the year into quarters or months or weeks – whatever helps you to visualise your timeline. This is a great way of helping you decide whether the dates you have decided on are achievable. If not go back to step 2 and repeat. 4. Start pencilling your goals into that calendar and start working out the steps you will need to take in order to make your goals a reality. If you’re not sure what they are then ask – this is one of the best times to get advice! You can take this as far as working out what you need to do daily I believe that for shorter term goals (or some that may have crept up on you) this kind of planning can be invaluable. 5. Tell someone your goal. If you haven’t done this in step 4 then now is the time. Say it with pride too, goals are nothing to be shy or embarrassed about, we all have them and we should be proud that we are trying to achieve something new! 6. Tick off your successful steps. Each of these steps can be defined as minor goals that lead you to your major goal. Celebrate each and every one of them.

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"Most of all & above all else – set yourself up for success!"

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As a coach this saying has become my mantra. Not only for myself but for my clients. Nothing makes me happier than to see someone give a workout their all and be completely spent & satisfied at the end of it, but this comes down to being honest with yourself, your abilities and your body. Setting your own goals is no different.

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"You have to create a honest and deliberate path in order to follow it all the way to the end."

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In saying this it is most important to remember why you are here, what brought you here and why you started. Goals are wonderful things, they can set your journey into motion – fitness or otherwise. Work as hard as you possibly can to achieve them, but don’t let them define you. If, for whatever reason, you don’t achieve your goal this time – you have not failed.

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"Work as hard as you possibly can to achieve them, but don’t let them define you."

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If you do fall then embrace these times. How you handle them, cope with them & then use them will help define the next chapter in your journey. It is also important to remember that this doesn’t just apply to CrossFit, this is true for every aspect of your life. Hard times & road blocks come in a variety of different forms, they will change your path but more often than not it is a blessing in disguise. This is your opportunity to reassess, set yourself on a new path using the knowledge which you have just gained. That is a success in itself. We are here to be healthy, awesome, strong humans who hopefully can stay out of nursing homes, tie their own shoes, get off the toilet by themselves and live full, active lives for as long as possible. This is the ultimate end goal.

Ta, Steph.

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If you need any help setting your goals grab one of our awesome coaches & schedule in a chat. We can help you outline & plan out any goals we uncover. Alternatively email us to start the process