Inspiration / Plan of Action

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Why do you have unmet goals? 

1. You may be too exhausted physically and/or mentally
2. You may be too relaxed and unmotivated
3. Excuses come to you more easily than prioritizing and taking action
4. You are in a rut and need new ideas and direction to jump start your fitness
5. You need more tools to refine your existing program to streamline and achieve your goals that seem within reach

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Feeling Inspired?

We don’t always know what we need to do to get there, but we want to do something. Recently, the theme of inspiration has been percolating.  I've been wondering, what does it take to awaken and bubble with motivation?  Is it magical?  I think so.  To move out of a place of complacency, free of the heavy weight of "to dos," and without feeling you are stuck running in quicksand; that sounds pretty magical to me!

Like anyone, I occasionally get stuck, and lately my curiosity led me to think about what inspires me to dig out of my own quicksand. Enjoying nature always inspires me, as do connecting authentically with friends and being active.  Just last week, I was having the most horrible day.  I was stuck on the hamster wheel in my head, spinning about all the things that I get down on myself for.  Ever happen to you?  Luckily, a dear friend asked me to go mountain biking later that morning.  I felt so exhausted in my uninspired heaviness, I wondered if I could manage to expend more energy for a bike ride.  I decided that seeing a good friend was worth the attempt, and I went.  The weather outside was perfect, the company was wonderful and getting out into nature cleared my head of all the funky thoughts cluttering my mind.  Ever since, I've been out of my rut and motivated to do the things I find difficult - magic, right?

So, just changing the scenery for an afternoon, connecting with nature (and myself) with a close friend, while being active did it for me.  I've been listening closely to those around me as my interest about the concept of inspiration percolates.  Yesterday, I was chatting with a client after leading a Power and Strength class (a fun and challenging strength/conditioning class).  I told her how excited I was to see her go down into such a deep squat, noting how much stronger she has become over the last year.  I asked her why she continues to exercise, and what inspires her to workout so often now.  She explained it was simply FEAR.  She fears getting older and not being able to move around and do the things she loves.  I told her it might be time to update her motivation!  Because, while fear may have gotten her started, she now knows how much better her body feels (neck pain is gone, hip pain is practically gone, she has much more energy and endurance), and she loves it!  After she heard my version, she laughed and agreed whole-heartedly.  She knows too much to go back to the way she was before (in pain and regressing) to stop.  Feeling great in her body inspires her, and as does connecting with me and the usual suspects who come to class every week.  

Just as my client was unaware of her evolved inspiration, I found myself surprised by how I inspired a participant at a Fitness Retreat event that I ran a while ago.  I knew this client had enjoyed the weekend, but until recently, was clueless about the lasting impact the weekend had for her.  She told me how encouraged she's been since that weekend over a year ago.  She learned so many different approaches to exercise and ways to heal her body; she was able to stay motivated through the whole year!  She felt safe during that weekend to try new exercises, made strong connections with others at the retreat, and ventured into an experience that stretched her, in every sense of the word.  I was thrilled for her, and I'll admit, quite inspired!

What inspires you to step out of your quicksand?  I invite you to write down three things that motivate you to extricate yourself from the quicksand of your life (yes, right now). Then go ahead and give yourself the gift of inspiration: try a new sport, change your scenery and then enjoy the magic that unfolds...

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Create A Plan of Action

What are 3 three things that you can change in your life right now that will bring you closer to your goals today?  Write these down. Be reasonable, be honest with how much change you are willing to accept and the work that is required of you to provide that change right now and be willing to honor yourself that you want to achieve your goals and will achieve your goals to be a happier and healthier you. You deserve it!

I had a Plan of Action for this article - "How to achieve your fitness goal."  Turns out, I had a goal - but my plan was a little hazy.  Has this ever happened to you?  You set a goal for yourself; you have the best intentions and then...it doesn't quite work out the way you had anticipated.

Best intentions

Assessing my personal training clients, I see this all the time.  First, I've learned to discover what is blocking them from success before a plan of action can ever be considered.  Identifying obstacles helps create the map that ultimately becomes a successful action plan. 

Identify obstacles

My father has these sayings that I hear in my head from time to time.  One I hear often: "If you want more of the same, then do more of the same."  I love it and I hate it.  Used as a tool, though, these words can be very revealing.  When I am stuck I take a step back, see where I am hitting my head against the wall and ask myself why.  I do the same with my clients.  I ask many questions to help them identify their unique obstacles.  The answers inform and direct us toward new patterns of behavior, revealing the possibilities for a successful plan of action.

Ask questions

Here's a cheat sheet to get you started identifying your obstacles:

• Do you have a leg injury that would prevent you from achieving your goal of running a 5K?
• Is there anyone in your life that is not supportive of your success and might sabotage your progress?
• Do social activities come up and override your training program?
• Do you need to add a strength-training program to protect your body due to aches and pains from prior attempts to achieve this goal?
• Do you harbor the belief that successfully reaching your goal would make someone close to you feel uncomfortable or out-shined?

Transform obstacles

Be curious!  Keep asking the questions until you feel clear about what's getting in your way.  Then, one by one, address the obstacles.  For example, enroll yourself in physical therapy to resolve that nagging leg injury; do not share your goal with those who sabotage you; commit to a training program (as though it's a series of important business meetings or something for your child or loved one) and plan your social commitments outside of it; add in a strength-training program to protect your joints and keep your body healthy; and examine the beliefs that hold you back - are they really true, and will denying yourself your goal actually help anyone?  Whatever the obstacles, address them and move through them to clear your path to success.

I'll admit, moving through the obstacles is not always easy.  When presented with the choice of being outdoors playing volleyball or doing my taxes (which I despise), I feel challenged.  I catch myself all the time!  The good news: once you start to become intimate with your obstacles, you will start catching yourself too.  The simple act of noticing helps to create new patterns to avoid "doing more of the same."

I love the moment when my clients are truly ready to create their action plans.  They become honest with themselves and get personal.  They ask and answer very difficult questions to propel them forward.  We all have a version of volleyball that distracts us and directs us away from our goals.  Dig deep to find out what they are, then make those obstacles your friends!  Give them what they truly need to become supportive of your plan of action.  Because, the steps you take to transform your obstacles are the beginning of your Plan of Action...which is the topic of one of the next articles.  My goal was to write that article first, but I realized after uncovering obstacles of my own, it was only fitting to begin here.

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If you read the last article, you might now be on your way to identifying and transforming obstacles that have previously blocked your fitness objectives.  If so, it's time to set a clear fitness goal for yourself.  Let's get started!

Overwhelmed?  Clients come to see me explaining they want to "get in better shape."  I ask, "what exactly does that mean to you?"  Often they release a frustrated sigh then list 10 goals in a few seconds!  I can see why they have been unable to get started - the list is overwhelming.  I have this same problem with completing tax paperwork through the year.  I look at the big picture and feel burdened.  Then, if I try to implement too many systems, my focus wanes and I stray from the good habits I'm working to develop.  Luckily, I find it easy with fitness, so while I'm learning to apply this knowledge to my taxes, I'll shed some light on how it works in my special arena. 

To begin, avoid putting 10 goals into ONE goal!  This makes a task seem so large to tackle you won't know where to start or focus your energy.  Instead, try the path I've outlined below.

Identifying your fitness goal  

Your goal needs to be clear and as specific as possible.  Generalizing will inadvertently set you up for failure.  Notice the difference between creative cooking and precise baking.  "Salt to taste" works when preparing a chicken, but not when baking cookies.  Your fitness goal is analogous to the cookies.  Chicken version:  I want to get into better shape. Cookie version: I will prepare for and complete a 5K race by September 15th, tracking my progress each week.  Adding deadlines holds you accountable for your goal, making it real. 

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Checking in with yourself  

If you have ever tried to achieve this goal before, what are the reasons you did not achieve or sustain this objective in the past?  Write these answers down and spend some reflective time with what you have written.  Then ask yourself, "Do I really want to achieve this goal at this time?"  If the honest answer is "no," re-evaluate the goal, gently guiding yourself to find one that truly fits where you are now.  

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Accountability and Support  

Once you have stated your clear goal and personal deadline, tell a friend.  When choosing who to tell, be sure to select someone supportive of your goal who will keep you honest.  You might even ask them to join in on some of your training to help you.  I admit, this one can be tricky.  Occasionally we want support from someone who cannot provide what we wish for, but we hold out hope that maybe this time will be different.  Allow yourself some meditative space to consider who will lay aside their own agenda to support you in successfully reaching your objective.  When we know that someone's got our back, we feel less afraid to fail.  This simple act of support encourages us to take a risk we might otherwise set aside.

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Fitness Support:  Plan of Action

Ready for your Plan of Action?  If you've been following this thread, you've removed obstacles blocking your fitness objectives and clarified your goals.  Now, I invite you to jump off the hamster wheel of "I should" and map out a plan for achieving the result you desire.  Several factors contribute to creating a successful Plan of Action.  I'll include each component here for a real-life illustration.  

Let's say you've always had the goal of running a 5K race.  Let's make it a reality! 

Action:  First, find a 5K race held at least 2 ½ months away, 10 weeks provides enough time to train and a deadline.  Then, sign up immediately.  This committed action supports forward movement.  

Resources: Perhaps you are unsure of how much time to devote to reaching your objective or maybe you dislike the gym you belong to (sounds like an obstacle).  Determine what additional help you need, and allow yourself to receive the support.  I know it can be challenging to accept that we need help, yet it's part of our humanity.  People frequently need support to reach their fitness goals.  Asking for help is a mark of your commitment to yourself and your body.  Be willing to request the resources you need; the very act of asking could make all the difference in your success.

Time:  Ask yourself, "Do I need to adjust my work schedule or reprioritize my daily 'to-do' list in support of my goal?"  You may notice you have two strength training workouts scheduled per week and still need to fit in your jogging time.  Consider going into work an hour early so you may leave at 5pm sharp instead of your usual 6:30pm.  As a bonus, you may discover you are more productive during that early hour when no one is around, leaving you with energy to hit the gym before heading home.  

Organizing:  Taking into consideration the time you have created to achieve your goal, sketch out a map.  Your initial map might look like this:

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Mondays & Thursdays

Tuesdays and Saturdays

6pm-7pm Jog/Walk/Stretch

6pm-7pm Strength Training

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Once you've determined your schedule, honor these set days/times as if you were attending a required work meeting or a parent/teacher conference - something you wouldn't dream of missing.  Remember, tending to your own physical and emotional well-being exudes positive energy to those around you, including your spouse, children, work, and friends.  The center of your world changes when you make the commitment to take care of yourself - and that changes everything.

Zoom In:  Now, break your map down week-by-week into specific, simple, and straight forward actions.  Design your weekly progress to give your body the time needed to train and integrate the new exercise.  A sensible plan allows time for body recovery while preventing injuries and creating long-term success.  Get into the nitty-gritty of it.  Have a new action step to check off your detailed map weekly, giving you a clear direction of how to move forward (like the zoom feature of your GPS).

My First 5K:  I have always found running hard for me and my body, so a 5K run was not a goal that came to me independently.  When living in Bermuda, friends signed up to run in a 5K and they wanted me to join them.  Every social gathering I got the question!  Soon I found myself committing to this foolish task, but needed a plan.  I grilled my friends for training tips, as they were experienced runners who had many 5K notches in their belts.  I discovered, ultimately, that they supported me best when I asked to train with them.  To ask felt like eating a piece of humble pie, but tasting their graciousness was divine.  This help was the key to my success for sure. They already had a proven plan of action; I simply adjusted it to serve me best and ran with it, literally...

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Setting Clear Fitness Goals

Your Turn!

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• Map out your problems/challenges and train your weaknesses within your program.
• Train and consistently analyze your progress to stay on course with your goals.
• Compete with yourself. Apply your training focus to a specific date, goal or event.
• Make your plan and fine-tune your plan. Take aim (set the goal) + train for it (do the work to achieve it) + be flexible to reconstruct your plan whenever it is necessary (fine-tune).
• Consistently retest yourself and be realistic with your goals.

They claim you teach what you need to learn.  This article was almost never written, conveniently, because I was avoiding it.  Now I realize, this topic sits right at my growing edge. 
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Worker bee mentality

Being a hard worker bee comes easily to me.  I enjoy feeling I have achieved something when I work hard and complete the tasks on my "to do" list.  It's in my wiring.  Where the wires cross and short out, though, is in acknowledging my accomplishments.  Instead, good worker bee that I am, I move onto the next goal as if I didn't even complete the first one.  Sad, isn't it? I'm missing a vital part of the manifestation process - celebration!

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For instance, last month I brought to fulfillment a major fitness goal and a major organization goal.  Hmm...even now, I don't give them each room to breathe in their own sentence...still a work in progress.  So, let's try again...

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Goals Completed

Fitness goal completed: I rewardingly ran a ½ marathon in August.  I've done this twice before, but over 5 years ago I had a major brain injury that has been very hard to recover from making this ½ marathon much tougher to train for, and still I did it!  (my medal is pictured above)  And for a little perspective, I’m still recovering from the injury and I don't even like to run. 

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Organizational goal completed:  I successfully organized my financial papers for tax purposes.  This painful task usually gets put on hold until April rolls around, and inevitably, they are a complete mess.  Well, a complete mess is being very kind in describing the disorganization...which makes this achievement even more gratifying!

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Recently, I've wondered why I dismiss these successes.  Even asking the question allows me greater space to enjoy my accomplishments, because it heightens my awareness.  It's similar to savoring a nice meal.  I need to eat to supply my body with nutrition, but if I don't pay attention, I miss out on each pleasurable bite of 'Chilean sea bass' and the sense of satisfaction I feel after mindfully eating a delicious dinner. 

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Walking the talk

As a personal trainer, my job calls upon me to point out my clients' achievements so they may notice and honor their successes, be directed to the next fitness goal in their program, and last but definitely not least, enjoy and delight in the way they move, feel and look with their improved bodies.  I realized, if I'm inviting my clients to appreciate their unique accomplishments, I might do well to extend the invitation to myself.  Walking the talk benefits me tremendously and provides a model of integrity to my clients.  Then, I am not asking them to do something that I am unwilling to do myself. 

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Celebrating your success

So, I offer this invitation to you, too.  Once you achieve a fitness goal, allow yourself the space to feel better, more at ease, and delight in the joy of having set your mind and body to achieve something that stretched your comfort zone.  I encourage you to take a step back this month and think of at least one thing you are proud to have achieved, from making it to the gym successfully twice a week for the last month to finally achieving your ideal weight.

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Look at the work it took to get you there, how you challenged yourself and persevered.  Then take it all in.  Notice and appreciate the support and inspiration you received from others who helped clear your path combined with your personal dedication.  Doesn't this feel good?  I think it's worthy of a few deep breaths...Ahh...

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With the power of your success and appreciation of your accomplishment supporting you, your internal engine will be fully fueled to tackle the next goal.  But, as I've now learned, celebrating is a vital part of the cycle.  Mindfully enjoy celebrating your successes!