Goals

Last night I attended a goal setting event at my crossfit gym, (or box if you are hardcore). I went in feeling nothing but unsure and a little malaise lately about my fitness journey. I have felt old habits and self-doubt creeping back at me. We all hit bumps and go through hard times, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up.  So in an attempt to refocus on my fitness journey, I took my coach up on the offer of a goal setting session. I expected the meeting to be straight forward: creating goals in the gym and making plans to achieve them. Maybe some clean eating tips. Get a goodnight’s rest All the things I know now but always need a reminder now and again. Basically, I thought it was going to be about how to make “gains”.   It quickly became so much more.

Led by one of the coaches, and with wisdom from the owner, we sat and discussed our goals, our fears, and our obstacles. I spent an earlier part of the day trying to decide what my “goals” were or what I would ask for help on. Ideas started to flood in. Should I ask about cleans or double unders? How about hand stand push-ups or pull-ups. All of them? Or maybe I’d stick to just a couple. I decided on waiting until I got there to decide.

I was surprised at which direction the conversation went and how my feelings and goals shifted in a new direction. How refreshing it was to be surrounded by people who had the same quesitons, problems, and concerns as you. We went from criticizing ourselves…hating our arms, not losing weight fast enough or at all. To not seeing any progress in the gym. To failing to meal prep and eat healthy. To giving into peer pressure and temptation. To concerns about our health as we got older. After some light was shed and such topics discussed,  people began to become more concerned about how to be healthy, how to make and gage progress, and how to become more confident.

I felt my true concerns surfacing.  I quickly realized I had much  different goals in mind than I had come in with.  Instead thinking about moves in the gym I couldn’t do, I was thinking about outside the gym goals. Goals I have of becoming confident, healthy, happy, fit.

I thought a lot about what was holding me back from achieving my goals. With help from my guides, I realized a lot of what was harming me was my own my self-esteem issues. Like how to deal with people who don’t support my goals, how to look out for my best interests, how to stop beating myself up, lack of  confidence, worrying too much about what others think, comparing myself to others. These are the things weighing me down mentally everyday, in addition to my excess pounds. All the issues that are much more important than mastering double unders. Sure I still have gym goals, but my new longer term goals of health, happiness, and confidence, will take me down a longer an more rewarding path.

We all have things that weigh us down, and try and stop us from achieving goals, but once we get to the root of the problem, its then we can take the steps to get rid of it. And if you don’t know how, find people with similar interests and goals, and ask for help!

I left that gym feeling inspired and determined. I challenge anyone who reads this to think about their own goals and to stop and take a step back to see if they are doing the right things to achieve them. If you don’t have a goal, make one. If there is baggage in your way, find a way to get rid of it. Stop BEATING YOURSELF UP. Believing you can do something is half the battle. We are our own worst enemies when we think “we can’t” or focus on the negatives. There is always a positive, and there is always a way to reach our goals if we are willing to believe in ourselves and push out of your comfort level.  Life is too short not to live it for anyone but yourself.  Find what makes you happy, and do it regardless of what anyone else says or thinks. Set goals, and crush them y’all.