Why You Should Focus On One Thing a Day When Trying to Achieve a Goal.
Around this time of year on social media feeds, I often see these grandiose statements of massive change. The claim is that this will be the ‘best year ever’ followed by a reason the previous one was not so great. A few weeks into January these statements are all but forgotten and we are once again making excuses, blaming others and fixating our attention on trivial issues.
So, here we are in the middle of January. Did you have a big plan for this year? If so, what is it and how is your progress? Are you still on that path of motivation or are you putting it off for well after the holiday season has ended (don’t forget we still have Australia day and Easter)?
Goals are fantastic. However, goals that are properly planned and actioned upon are more likely to succeed. Sadly, the majority of our big aims are simple statements; I’m going to be healthier, I’m going to lose weight, I’m going to be a better person. The question you should ask is; what can I do today to start on this path, what I will I do every day to continue along this path, how will I track my progress, what is a my realistic time frame to achieve this and if I fall of track, how will I motivate myself to continue.
Just like anything in life, failure to plan is simply planning to fail. We are so conditioned to fear this ‘f’ word that we avoid thinking of minor failures as small setbacks along a greater journey. Take the example of health and fitness. We may desire to lose 5 kg and achieve a noticeable increase in explosive power. At the start of our training and nutrition protocol, the novelty and excitement provides fantastic results. Before a routine has been established something/someone presents a minor roadblock. For a couple of weeks the activities cease and progress is reversed. For fear of failure we quickly abandon our goals before and distract ourselves with ‘work/life/commitments/everything else’.
What to do? Before a major social media rant, take a breath and think on what you truly want. Consult with people in the know (nutritionist, trainer, financial consultant, therapist, etc.) and while you’re figuring it all out, focus on one thing you can do today and one thing you can do each day after that.
Here at A's Dojo Mixed Martial Arts Academy we believe in an 'all in' approach. No matter the goal or outcome, we invest our time, physical and emotional effort and enlist the support of our friends and training partners to remind us to remain accountable for any lack of action.
Sometimes however, it can be all too daunting to think about when we have far to go. For that, just have fun and get on with your one thing for today.
