As 2014 comes to an end, I am reflecting on the year and making plans for 2015! I think about my races, personal goals, and the success of my clients reaching their goals and making new ones. So, in this latest blog I’d like to share with you some tips, motivation, and some of my favorite mantras and quotes that I use throughout the year to help my personal training clients and I reach those goals.

  1. Write down your goals. Make sure they are realistic and doable in the right timeframe.
  2. Go public with it! Register and sign up for a race. Invite your friends and family to join you! This will ensure that you have the support you need to achieve your goals. Plus, they will keep you accountable and make it more fun!
  3. Commit to it! Make or get a plan to follow and schedule it on your weekly calendar. Taking small steps every day will not only help hold your interest in what you’re trying to achieve but will also ensure that you move slowly, but surely, toward your goal.
  4. Put in the training and hard work. No excuses! I promise it will be worth it! Just do it! There will be days when you don’t feel like it, but remember every little bit counts, and it’s these tough days that will make you mentally stronger! Also, keep in mind that you always feel better at the end of the workout, and you will be glad you did it! The only bad workout is the one that didn’t happen.
  5. Make yourself a priority. Put your needs first, even when it feels utterly selfish. You will derail your progress if you sacrifice yourself for others in order to please them (such as eating a cupcake that a coworker baked even though you’re on a diet). If you’re training for a race then train in the morning before your family gets up or bring them along with you in the evening. My kids will ride their bikes while I run or swim at the pool while I do my laps. Sometimes they take a kayak out so I can do my open water swims along with them.  This way the whole family benefits!
  6. Log your progress for motivation. Celebrate any and all milestones. Preferably not with fattening food, but maybe with a new workout outfit.
  7. Re-assess your goals. Sometimes things happen which causes you to be off point (like an injury or travel or a change in your training schedule). However, anticipating these bumps and obstacles will help you be more likely to stick to your goals. It’s also important to challenge yourself and change things up to help your process and keep you motivated.
  8. Believe you can, and you will! Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” ― Henry Ford. So true!!!! Whenever you feel yourself doubting how far you can go, just remember how far you have come, remember everything you have faced, all the battles you have won, and all the fears you have overcome!

I hope after reading this blog it inspires you to make 2015 the best year ever! Remember, “it always seems impossible until it’s done!” – Nelson Mandela

Paula Smith, ACE CPT