With the new year and coming off of a two week break it can seem a challenge to get back into the swing of attending class and training. The path of least resistance is to just give up and say “Why bother?” BUT…here is why we bother…so we can become the best version of our selves we can be and this does not happen by taking the path of least resistance. With that said here are some tips to keep in mind to get back and stay on the path toward crushing your goals in 2019…and beyond.
1. MAKE it matter. We have all heard the pithy platitudes that say we will accomplish our goals if they matter to us and that if we do not achieve it then it really did not matter to us. Well, I am here to say that if you are wavering and thinking that what you set out to do with your training doesn’t seem to matter anymore…MAKE IT MATTER. Remember, you are in control and you have the power to change your mindset…instantaneously…by just making the decision to do it. One way to make things matter is schedule them. Treat your class times like appointments on your calendar. Schedule them and then KEEP them as you would any other appointment.
2. Do a self assessment reality check. We cannot know where we are going until we know where we are. We should take time to evaluate where we are in the various aspects of our lives. If we find we are not where we want to be…that is OK…now we know where we are and can move toward where we want to be.
3. Set small goals to achieve large ones. Just as we would not eat an apple by shoving the whole thing in our mouth, we make the most progress when we set smaller goals to accomplish on our way to achieving the larger goal. For example…what’s our goal…”Black Belt Sir!’…But that can seem so far away. Even the next belt rank can seem daunting. So, what is the most easily attainable goal in our training? I will lay out the steps for you….
– Get to your next class
– Get your next stripe
– Get your next belt
– Get Black Belt
If we take care of the days; then the years will take care of themselves. Sometimes, even to take care of just a single day we need to focus on only getting through the next hour or even minute to minute. It is the cumulative effect of achieving the smaller goals over time that lead to accomplishing the larger goal we originally set for our selves. Eat the apple one bite at a time.
4. Delete in order to add. We all have habits in our lives that no longer serve us well; yet we still engage them as we are so entrenched in the behavior. But we came to the karate school to improve our selves and this REQUIRES change. We did not begin martial arts to remain chained to existing behaviors. We need, dare I say we want, change. This goes along with the self assessment in step 2. For example, if you cannot remember material because instead of practicing at home you binge Netflix for three hours each night…well, maybe that needs to change. The question to ask is, “What habits in my life no longer serve me in the context of my training?” Then, change them to ones that serve you in a way that helps you gain momentum toward achieving what you want in training…and in life.
5. Share it. Social media has provided an attention getting platform for many but it can also be a good forum for accountability. Many groups have started for this very thing. Now, I am not saying you should share on social media; just that it can be one way of sharing your goals for accountability. Whether you share it privately with one or two trusted people or publicly on a platform like Facebook, it can help you stick with your plan and be a source of encouragement when you feel like you are not making progress.
6. PARR…Plan, Act, Review, Renew. This is an excellent “map” for navigating the path toward achieving your goals. Planning means we create the path between where we are and where we want to go. We must plan the work that it will take to achieve what we want. Then we must Act on it…DO THE WORK.
Along the way it is important to Review progress to make sure we are staying on track. If we find we are off track we can tweak the plan to renew our progress. Finally, when we hit the inevitable plateaus and valleys, it is critical to renew our commitment and get re-motivated to move forward and get closer to what we have set out to achieve.
7. Positive Self Talk. Often we approach the “work” of our plan by saying things like, “I have to…” or “I should…”. Saying things like this makes the work a burden or a chore. One of my teachers said to never “should” on yourself. Instead approach it by saying “I get to…”, “I want to…”, “I can…”, “I will…”. And the progression here is important. When we say we “get” to do something enough then we will develop a desire to “want to…”. When we “want” to do something long enough then we realize “I can…”. Once we know we “can” then it inevitably leads to “I will…” and from there it is fairly assured the desired goal will become an achieved reality.
8. Write it down. Studies show you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals by writing them down on a regular basis. When you write down the goal also write how you will feel when you achieve the goal. This anchors the achievement to a positive feeling and increases the probability of your achieving it.
So, let’s get after it, plan the work and work the plan to CRUSH IT on the road to making your goals a reality.
Take care and see you in class.
Mr. Burt