Smart Goals – To Improve your accountability – Set goals!
By: Sean Wells
I had a conversation today with a former member at the gym and she asked about the importance of setting goals
We talked about how goals change as your life changes. But that no matter what you need some extra strength and conditioning to improve the quality of your life and maybe even the length of your life. After discussing this with her she asked about the process for a brand new client at OC.
This is my best attempt to recreate the conversation that needs to happen:
New client at OG: Alright, so I’m beginning to focus on training/fitness, or I want to work on my fitness, should I be setting goals?
OC Staff: Yes!!!! We can’t emphasize or encourage this enough, goals are necessary. If we use or think in business terms, business generally have financial goals each quarter or monthly, they do this as you are more likely to hit a target if you know what you are after. Financial projections often come true or you get close to the mark on those projections. Why is this the case? Well, when you always have something in mind (think, a goal), you are more likely to achieve it/reach it. When something is right there, in front of you, you are thinking about it and wanting it, it’s inevitable that you will reach it.
New Client – or established client: Is this where the topic becomes personal and I can ask myself what I want with training?
OC Staff: Yes. For those established clients at OC – think about the first time you emailed someone at OG(probably Sean in the early days, in the past two years probably Sarah) What motivated you to send the email? What motivated you to walk into the gym for the first time? For those new – answer that question NOW! How did you get here? What were you hoping to achieve?
Client: What is a good goal? Can it be a physical goal? Can it be a non gym related goal, or something indirectly related to the gym?
OC Staff: There are so many great goals that members have shared with us. Goals cab be training related, other goals are a byproduct of being in the gym, others are just a byproduct of starting a scheduled physical fitness program. Here are some examples: Get off my xyz medication (corrective cholesterol meds, pre-diabetic indicators, etc.), get ready for bathing suit/summer season, run a faster 5k, run a whole marathon, ski without knee pain, lift up my kids without back pain. Be able to stand up paddle board, raft, canoe etc…Those are all examples of goals that members at OC have set and achieved!
Client: I think I understand why it is important to have goals, what happens if I don’t hit my goals in the 3-4 month time frame that we set? I am worried about failing.
OC Staff: The feeling is natural to be concerned about failing to reach your goals. If you have regular check ins on long term goals you can adjust the heading/direction based on these check ins. With regular check ins, you can adjust the plan to help you be successful. Sometimes you won’t hit the mark, and sometimes the goal you set out for changes slightly. That is okay! We can assess your performance in reaching the goal and correct the heading accordingly. Also, remember that SMART goals are often best: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-Focused and Time-Bound.
Client: How do I schedule?
OC Staff: Book here.
No matter the goal, your coaches at OC are here to help you. If you have questions or need help, let us know!
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