Happy New Year!
Now that the New Year is here, our goals and intentions are set and we are all off running towards the 2017 finish line at the pace of a sprinter instead of a marathoner. Sadly, research shows that only 8% of us actually reach the finish line. The rest of us don’t make it past the first month, if that.
As a Health Coach, I work with my clients on incorporating “sustainable” (yes I’m using air quotes here) health changes in their lives. The only way for these changes to be “sustainable” is by running a marathon – not a sprint. We take a goal at a time and once that one goal is consistent we move on to the next.
My clients set very simple and specific health goals. These serve as a guideline throughout the 6-month program. We then begin the program by taking a goal at a time and working on it until it becomes consistent, addressing any core issues or beliefs along the way that is holding them back. This, along with the accountability in the program, my clients find that when they finish their 6-month program they have not only met their health goals, but that eating healthy and movement have become part of their daily routine.
Inspired by motivational speaker, Mina Shah, I now have my clients also list their challenges in meeting their goals. Only by understanding what your challenges are, can you begin to clear the path of obstacles on your marathon to the finish line.
This same concept can be used for any goal you have, whether it’s a personal or business goal. The fundamental idea is that by working on a goal one at a time consistently for 20 to 30 days, the more sustainable and the more impact the change will have. Additionally, working on one goal at a time allows you to be 100% present for the change.
I hope this blog inspires you to course your marathon of positive goals and changes throughout the year. And, that at the end of 2017, when you sit down to review the year, you feel that you crossed the finish line.
