Set a Goal

"A goal?" you ask? Yes, a goal is one of the first important steps to making a change of any kind. Want to get better at time management? Determine a goal of getting specific tasks accomplished within a specific time frame. Want to get better organized? Plan a day or a week to get one area or room into shape. Want to lose weight? Decide what a healthy weight is for you and make a healthy plan of how long it would take to get there. Want to attain a better level of fitness? Set a goal and do whatever it takes to achieve it.

I know how it feels to set goals. It feels uncomfortable, even restrictive. It doesn't coordinate well with mid-morning talk shows and afternoon naps! Setting a goal is something many of us simply avoid doing because we don't want to work hard for it and don't want to fail at it. And who really wants to say, "I'm going to run the Boston Marathon this year!" when running to answer the phone is already a health hazzard?

That's where realistic yet challenging goals are important. It should be attainable but hard enough that it's worth the effort. It's not enough to say, "I'm going to lose 5 pounds this week." because all that would take is several skipped meals and passing up a fast-food meal. Is it worth it? Not really. But saying, "I'm going to exercise aerobically for 30 minutes for five consecutive days." could result in 5 pounds of weight loss and a significant step toward better health.

Getting off the couch and onto the treadmill or out onto the road doesn't have to be a mammoth feat. It will require a change of activity and a slight adjustment to the daily routine. But a goal is a powerful motivator and creates a milestone of accomplishment that's confidence building and gets the fire lit for the next goal. One place to start for help in setting goals are online sites that offer plans for either healthy eating or training for distance running. From Couch to 5K offers a wealth of information about training plans, nutrition, and apparel for running. Given that I have only 3 weeks before my first 5K I will be modifying their training plan to fit my time frame and also getting my husband Bill's advice on proper warm up and down along with other training tip he can give me. In other words, gathering resources is an important aspect of setting goals that can be attained.

Finally, realize that, even if the goal that was set is not acheived the ultimate purpose is to be better. And that is a winning attitude no matter what!

Glory