Do you ever find yourself scrolling through social media and getting frustrated from watching videos of Victoria’s Angels training? Or just seeing a gym photo of one of your good looking fit friends with an “I love the gym” hashtag? The thing that probably makes you frustrated here is that you can’t even make yourself join a gym, let alone start liking it.
Well, the only difference between you and people who are satisfied with their body is determination. I’m sure that you have at least one friend on social media circles who used to be chubby and unattractive, and who’s now a gym addict.
What separates you from a gorgeous body is the right mindset. Working out isn’t only physical; your mind goes through training as well. And just like you need a training program in order to achieve results, you also need to set goals so that your mind can endure.
Clear Goals give You a Sense of Purpose
What makes training worth the trouble are the results. For you to be able to perceive physical efforts as a rewarding process, you need to have a purpose.
It’s clear that you won’t be able to look like a magazine cover model right away – that just doesn’t happen overnight. However, that’s the final goal you should set for yourself.
In the meantime, you need to have milestones – they will give you a sense of purpose. You should treat this as if it were a work project; there’s always a finish line, but before you’re able to make a delivery to your stakeholders, you first need to complete the small tasks.
That feeling of accomplishment is exactly what will make you push harder and give you the power to move on. Once you’re aware that you’re moving towards your purpose, even if you start off with baby steps, you’ll be properly motivated to reach the finish line.
You can Measure Your Progress More Effectively
The thing that makes clear goals so effective is the fact that they are easily measurable. If you just start working out without a concrete goal, you won’t be able to realize that training is rewarding.
On the other hand, if you start off with small, clear goals – like getting rid of stomach fat for example, and being able to wear jeans without that unattractive “muffin top” look – you’ll be able to track your progress with ease.
You know that pair of jeans in your closet that you’re saving for that moment when you’re finally fit? Well, you should put them on every time after you finish a workout session. On one hand, your reflection in the mirror will remind you what you want to achieve, and on the other, you’ll be able to see the results happening in time.
No More Wasted Time at the Gym
Many people give up on working out just because they think that it takes too much time. The fact is you can finish your workout in less than an hour – but you need to be efficient.
What your workout needs is a structure. If you train without a specific program, and just randomly do exercises on the first machine that’s next to you, you won’t be able to achieve the desired results, and your workout can last for ages.
When you get in the gym with very clear goals, a previously determined number of repetitions on each machine or weight n the bar, and know the exact type of training you want to do that day, you won’t lose even a minute.
You can Set as Many Goal Posts as You Like
You are your own gym boss. If you don’t really have experience with gyms, and you don’t really understand where to start, being on your own can evoke negative feelings in the beginning.
But, every beginning is difficult. You already know that, in order to have valuable things, you need to work hard for them – it goes the same with training.
So, instead of feeling like Alice in Wonderland when you enter the gym, you should devote yourself to the project of sculpting that body you’ve always dreamed of, and instruct yourself on how to achieve that. The great thing about setting goals for yourself is that you can set as many of them as you like.
Therefore, you can and should go into fine details here. Before you start using a machine, have in mind that your goal is to successfully finish the number of repetitions you’ve previously determined. Once you’re done, take a second to enjoy your accomplishment and give yourself a pat on the back.
Although it seems like a small thing, completing this small task gets you closer to your big goals.
Once You’ve Reached Your Goals, You Don’t Want to Go Back
The fact is that once you go fit, you don’t want to go back. As a matter of fact, everyone who really devotes themselves to training doesn’t stop there – they also start taking better care of their nutrition and sleeping habits as well.
Once you experience that you can live a better life, going backward and returning to your old habits won’t be an option anymore.
The most rewarding moment, the one that will make you keep going, is the day when you finally put on that pair of jeans and you like what you see in the mirror. And the amazing thing is that, if you keep up the great work, you can look even better than that.
So, the thing that is preventing you from looking exactly like you want aren’t overpriced personal trainers, weight loss secrets, or expensive equipment – it’s your mind. In order to finally be satisfied with the way you look, you should train your mind first, and learn how to set clear goals for yourself. If you manage this, developing a killer body is a sure thing.
