At 10.40.10 Fitness, three of the most common fitness goals we hear about are losing weight, gaining strength or getting in shape. Sometimes it’s phrased in various ways:
I want to be more fit.
I want to get stronger.
I want to be in better shape.
And while all of those are achievable, setting these goals is simply not as beneficial for your long-term progress as you’d think.
In comparison to your career, it’s essentially the same as saying, “I want to do some work and make some money.”
It’s fairly obvious that in gaining employment, your goal is to exchange your skills for compensation. In the same way, your goal at the gym is to exert some effort in exchange for losing weight, improving fitness, gaining strength, etc.
But what exactly does that look like?
The Key to Losing Weight or Getting in Shape is Setting Specific Goals.
The real reason your goals might be holding you back from achieving optimal results is that they’re just not specific enough.
For instance, when you envision “losing weight,” does that mean 10 pounds or 100? Or if you’re aiming to “get in better shape,” does that mean you want to put on a swimsuit and feel super-confident?
Maybe you’ve set a goal of “gaining strength.” Does that look like deadlifting 250 pounds or maybe doing a strict pull-up? If you want to lower your blood pressure, by how much? Are you aiming to run a marathon or compete in a local competition? If so, by when?
Here’s another common goal: “I need to find motivation.” So, what exactly does that mean for you? Maybe it’s the encouragement from working out with others instead of alone in your living room. Perhaps it’s having a team of coaches that will correct your form and push you to be the best version of yourself.
All of these things are much more specific than just losing weight or getting in shape. And if you can actually assign a target date to each one, even if it’s a milestone as you work toward that goal, you’re significantly more likely to accomplish it.
Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation.
Intrinsic and extrinsic are essentially fancy words to describe two different types of motivation. Extrinsic involves external factors like a reward or penalty. For example, ‘If I go to class twelve times this month, I’ll buy myself that new watch I’ve been eyeing.’ Or, ‘If I don’t start losing weight by my target date, I don’t get to go to that upcoming concert.’
On the other hand, intrinsic motivation comes from within. Examples include wanting to have the energy to play with your kids in the yard this summer or enjoying workouts as you discover the amazing things your body is capable of.
While extrinsic motivation can motivate you to get started, studies show that intrinsic motivation will compel you to keep going for the long run, and will be more fulfilling as well.
Either way, you have to be able to visualize your goals, almost to the point of feeling what it would be like to accomplish them.
Think of it this way: In a moment of low motivation when you’re trying to get yourself to go to the gym, would saying, ‘I have to go because I’m working on losing weight’ actually get you to move? Or would you be more likely to go if you could see yourself stepping on the scale to see that you’ve lost 50 pounds? What about if you visualized yourself achieving your first pull-up?
Losing Weight is the Start, But Make It Bigger Than Just The Gym.
The concept of setting specific, measurable goals doesn’t have to stop at physical fitness.
What exactly does success look like for you in your career, relationships, finances, etc.? Try specifically outlining what life will be like when you achieve these goals.
Fun fact: In a Harvard Business School study, MBA students were asked, “Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?” Of those who participated, only three percent wrote specific goals and ten years later in the follow-up study, those participants were making 10 times as much money as the other 97 percent combined. (Source: Set Yourself on Fire by Phil Taylor)
At 10.40.10 Fitness, our members consistently report that one of the best “side effects” of completing tough workouts is that we prove to ourselves that we can do hard things. In other words, when life does all kinds of life things, we have evidence that we’re strong and capable.
So, whether your goal is losing weight, getting in shape or something else, start by defining exactly what that means to you. Then, take some time to clearly outline some other big goals in your life. Remember to make them measurable and assign a target date to each one.
One more thing: Talk to some of the long-term members at 10.40.10 Fitness about their fitness journey, and the goals they set to get where they are today. That way, when you’ve been here for years and someone new walks in the door, your story can motivate them to get started and keep going for the long run.
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