I recently went on a kayaking vacation with a few of my friends. If you know me, you know that I love to kayak. Due to various injuries, I hadn’t paddled a river in almost two years. I quickly noticed that my friends who were very consistent paddlers kayaked extremely well. Their endurance, strength, and pace were exceptional!
Since I hadn’t paddled in such a long time, I fell behind. I couldn’t keep up, and I wished that I had been able to consistently train in preparation for our trip. Although my friends hadn’t intensely prepped themselves, their small habits each day made them strong and fit for kayaking.
Maybe you’ve also fallen off the wagon for a year, month, or week due to inconsistency, injury, or lack of motivation. Take some time to re-evaluate your goal with me. Consider these six questions to help you start taking small steps daily to achieve your desired goal.
What was your original goal?
It’s easy to lose sight of the goal we set out to pursue after long periods of time. Remind yourself of why you initial started chasing your goal and how completing it would improve your life.
What was your excuse for not pursuing it?
Be very honest with yourself. Why did you stop going to the gym? Why did you continue eating junk food? Why did you stop walking the neighborhood? Was it an event or illness that threw you off? Pinpoint the exact reason that pushed you to give up.
Is your goal something YOU really want?
Maybe you set a goal to simply… set a goal. Maybe someone in your life is pushing you to accomplish something that you don’t have the desire to complete. Dig deep and determine what YOU really want.
How will you make next week different?
Now that you’ve re-defined your goal and have acknowledged why you stopped pursuing it, plan for the upcoming week. Break your goal down into actionable steps and schedule in time daily to complete them.
What’s your support system?
Can you share your goal with a trustworthy friend or relative and ask them to hold you accountable? If not, consider highering an in-person or online coach to keep you on track.
Where’s your community?
Do you know of a group of people who are currently pursuing or might consider pursuing the same goal as you? If you don’t have anyone nearby, Facebook groups are a great way to connect with others who are on the same journey.
I hope you have a better understanding of your goal and how you can take small steps towards it daily. Pursuing a goal does not have to be complicated or overwhelming. Keep it simple! For more tips related to taking small and consistent steps, tune into Episode 48 of the Fit Is Freedom podcast.