Steps to Setting a goal & Maintaining a Mindset of grace.
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about goals, and why it can be so challenging to follow through with them. For starters, I think when we don’t have our mindset right- we fall trap to giving in to the challenges surrounding our goals quickly after setting out for them.
But something we don’t do often is breaking down the goal-setting and the action steps to get there. We get so caught up in the goal, that we take off, and stumble over ourselves along the way.
What if you gave your goals some thought? What if you adopted and maintained a mindset of grace when working towards them?
I’m going to walk you through Goal Setting and how I do this in a way that sets myself up for success with a mindset of grace.
A goal is something you are aiming to accomplish, an outcome you can measure and work to reach! And specifically speaking, for your health & fitness, goal setting is just the same. In order to see results, it’s important to know your why, what steps you can take to accomplish it & the grace you’ll need to achieve it along the way.
1. Determine the Goal.
To me, this step is the easy part. Just ask yourself WHY?
- Why am I wanting a workot routine?
- Why am I wanting to eat healthier?
- WHY am I here?
On this step:
- BE specific.
- Be realistic.
- Be honest with your expectations of yourself.
Example:
- Goal #1 (Short Term): I want to lift 10 pound weights consistently in my workouts.
- Goal #2 (Long Term): I want to lose 5 pounds by Ellie’s 3rd birthday on July 31st.
I suggest picking 1 short term (can be accomplished TODAY or THIS week) and 1 long term goal (can be accomplished over the next few weeks/MONTH or longer) Think about these and if you’re willing to share for accountability- share in the comments below!
2. Determine the HOW.
The biggest HOW question you should ask yourself is:
- How will you achieve this goal?
Other things to consider:
- How did you get to where you are now?
- How will you change your current habits to reach this new goal?
- How long do you expect it to take?
Example:
- Goal #1: I will start to lift 10 pound weights whenever I can- and when it is too heavy/hard I will use 5 pounds.
- Goal #2: I will start pre-making my lunches for the week and avoid eating snacks straight out of the bag (and instead pour my serving into a bowl/plate.)
The WHY & the HOW to goals are great, and what most goal-setters regularly do, but there is one thing that is missing to successfully reach a goal – GRACE.
3. Determine the GRACE.***
This is the missing link to reaching your goals. This is IT. Grace is the secret. You will face obstacles, you will face setbacks, you will get de-railed, but the grace YOU allow yourself, that mindset you maintain, will help you to keep fighting toward that goal and in time, reach it. Because grace is a mindset. It is a perspective. It’s not tangible- which makes it challenging, but it IS possible to make the shift with accountability and patience. Grace is key because it pre-determines HOW you are going to respond to obstacles, setbacks, and how you will overcome.
Example:
- Goal #1: I will listen to my body and WILL NOT get discouraged if I can’t lift 10 pounds immediately. I will keep trying and building my strength until I can successfully in every workout.
- Goal #2: I will set aside time on Sunday/Monday to “prep” my lunches and will schedule it with Ryan to help me set myself up to succeed. I will plan to weigh myself 1 time every other week, and will not let that number discourage me. I will also look for non scale victories to keep me motivated and encouraged.
Here’s your challenge: if you haven’t set any goals for your journey, NOW is the time.
Work through this process of determining the:
Goal/Why:
How:
Grace:
While this DOES work, there isn’t a magic recipe, or shortcut.
You will still have to work consistently to take action and maintain grace, but you will have a different perspective & approach to bringing your goals to life!! ✨
