Goals

What is it? What does it take? Why are some people successful while others are not? These are some questions that run through my head, and through others all the time. Who has the answers?


I think that we can all be successful, but success is determined by perception. 


Perception is reality.


What I think is success may not be what another person believes is success. 


My perceptions are not the same as other's perceptions.


My husband and my son say I have a skewed vision of what a person should look like, in other words, I am very hard on myself, I have very high expectations of myself and those around me. 


We all need to set our minds on a goal. It should be realistic and based on what we want, not what we think other people want, or what someone else wants. Many people spend their lives trying to live up to others expectations, why?


Just because I expect to have the physique of a woman half my age doesn't mean that everyone else around me should have the same expectations of themselves. Nor does it mean that I would be disappointed in them if they didn't have those expectations. 


I do enjoy the fact that I have a lot pf people come to me and ask advise. Those people range from very young (my son's friends) to old (my father). People of all ages in between have asked about diet, nutrition, weight lifting, weight loss, alcohol consumption, clothes for the gym, shoes, make-up, you name it, I have been asked about it and how I make it all work for me.


One thing I have learned is what works for one may not work for another. So it is good to listen, heed the advise and then contemplate how it may work for you, in your situation and then adjust. There is no set way of doing anything in life, really.


Even diets, we all need to start with one and monitor how we progress, what works for us and what doesn't, it's all a learning cycle.


The same goes for exercise. What I love may not hold any interest to someone else. I love chin ups, kettlebells, push ups, squats, sleds (to name a few things), I know other people who detest this stuff and they love 'body pump" class, aerobics, the elliptical machine, the "inny and outy" leg machine (totally useless!!! ha ha ha).


But if you try to do what you don't enjoy, you wont stick with it, so you need to find something that your heart is in!


There are many ways to achieve fitness goals, but you must first have a clear understanding of exactly what your goal is. Have you written it down? If someone asks you "what is your goal?" can you explain it? 


I remember back quite some time ago, almost a year ago when I emailed Roy (my trainer), before we ever met in person and I explained my goals. He must have thought I was an absolute nut case! I sent a huge email (full of typos- I forgot my glasses and my contacts), and told him exactly where I was, where I do not want to be and where I want to go in respect to my training. 


I needed someone who believed in me, valued what I wanted and understood my goals. I needed someone who would support me every step of the way. Had I been unable to explain all of this to him, who knows where I would be today. Would we have continued? Would I have quit due to frustration?


Luckily, I knew exactly how to express my goals, and Roy has been right there pushing me every inch of the way closer and closer.


I you are feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, unsuccessful, like you haven't made any progress or anything  along these lines, give this all some thought. Do YOU know where you are going? Do you have a map or directions or are you just driving along as a passenger, looking out the window of life?


Write them down, be specific, hold them near and dear to your heart and don't let anyone get in your way. 

You can do it.