I am reading a great book right now: Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. Brene is a research professor who studies courage, vulnerability, authenticity, and shame. You may have seen her popular Ted Talk: The Power of Vulnerability
Everything Brene talks about relates back to health and fitness goals. It takes courage to start or to set a bigger goal. It takes vulnerability to show up, commit, and try. It takes authenticity to know where you are and where you want to be. And it takes all of those things to keep from feeling shame when things don’t go perfectly. Because they probably aren’t going to go perfectly.
So, I would like to start by talking to someone who hasn’t worked out or eaten healthy in a long time or ever. It sure is scary isn’t it? You might fail, a lot. This is all new and you don’t know how it will feel, mentally or physically. It is going to take some courage to put yourself out there and try something new. It is going to take some vulnerability to acknowledge how hard it might be and how you will deal with setbacks or the need for perseverance. You will need to be honest with yourself and try really hard. That is where you start. The first steps are a mental game and a little bit of time figuring out what some ways you might fail are and how you will handle it will get you the most prepared.
Ok, now for someone who is ready to make a big goal, take new steps, or really put themselves out there to try new things. It sure is scary isn’t it? You might fail too. I could go on the same way as the previous paragraph, but I won’t. Only a few things change in this conversation. You might know the work that will need to be put in to meet your goals and know it will take perseverance and focus. You will still need to consider what your vulnerabilities are. Where do you need courage? How will you respond to failures? You can decide ahead of time knowing it is a possibility because you are taking risks and that is so good.
The New Year is coming and it is goal setting time. A big time for fitness. Maybe you have a faster run goal or a longer distance run goal. Maybe you want to lift heavier weight, or lose some weight off of the belly. What ever it might look like consider the risk and the courage you need. Make a reaction plan with your goals to prepare you for setbacks and keep you from throwing in the towel.
Do you know what your vulnerabilities are now in your fitness goals? What is your biggest struggle and how do you think you can create a plan to overcome it?