We all want to look and feel our best but how exactly does that happen? We can’t just wave a wand and expect to be stronger, leaner or healthier. There’s way more to it than that. In order to achieve greatness and be the best you can be you have to start with a goal. You have to identify your why and then set attainable goals to get you where you want to be. Setting goals has been proven effective not only for physical performance but also for mental health and academics. Let’s take school for example. The ball has been rolling and your kids are “back in session.” Guaranteed their teachers are already helping them set goals. But have you ever wondered why? Why is so much time spent on analyzing exactly what we want to achieve? The answer is simple and exactly what’s outlined in this article. 

1. Goal Setting Helps You Stay Focused

Imagine a pitcher. There’s a lot going on in a pitcher's mind. Each time a new batter steps up to the plate, they don’t just stand on the mound and hope for the best. They have to game plan and set goals. Goals that help them deliver a pitch to the strike zone or trick a batter into swinging and striking out. It’s all about focus. It’s all about goal setting.

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Now apply this same scenario to you. What do you need or want to focus on? Ok so maybe you’re not a pitcher but do you want to lose weight, gain strength or increase your confidence? I bet you do. But without a pinpointed goal, those ideas are just words. You need specific goals to stay focused. Setting goals keeps your eye on the prize and on track when you’re hitting the gym. Each time you commit to lacing up, you’re also promising yourself that you’ll work hard to achieve your goals. But do yourself a favor and make these goals visible. Announce them, write them down, stick them somewhere you’ll never forget to look! Every time you see those goals, you’ll work harder and be more focused on getting things done. 

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Is training hard? Yes of course it is! Training isn’t meant to be a walk in the park and you know why? It’s because you have a goal to reach. Maybe it’s nailing a PR on your next 5K or hitting that extra set of reps with increased weight. No matter what your goals are, owning them, acknowledging them and making them your own is MOTIVATING keeping you focused and on the fast track to better health.  

Goals also help you stay focused because they provide you with-

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• Intention- Goals are specific and deliberate, not cookie cutter.
• Direction- A path for how you’re going to reach your desire.
• S.M.A.R.T- Goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. 

It’s far too easy to take a day off and then lose your momentum if you don’t have a vision. Goal setting keeps your mind and body where they need it to be- focused and dedicated. Leading us to the next reason why goal setting helps you rock results.

2. Goal Setting Motivates

Without a plan, things seem to crumble apart don’t they? And we’re not just talking about fitness. We’re also talking about our day to day. Think about all the layers in your life. Your career, education, family, health. They don’t just fall into place. You have to work hard to make everything work together like a well oiled machine. And that doesn’t come easily. It does however work when you plan and set goals with a purpose. 

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Take meal planning for instance. Meal planning is hands down one of the easiest things you can do to stay on track with health and fitness. It eliminates the question of “what’s for dinner” and also derails you from heading towards that drive-thru. Meal planning keeps calories and nutrition in check.  If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times- nutrition and planning is essential for a healthy lifestyle. So why would it be any different when working out or creating a goal. You have to plan it! 

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Goal setting provides challenge and excitement to an otherwise mundane workout. If you’re hitting the gym the same way day after day, you’ll most likely lose motivation. Exactly what we’re all trying to prevent. But if you set goals,  you're more apt to put in the effort and knock down any obstacle that stands in your way. It’s like switching up your driving route to work. Taking a different path becomes exciting, motivating and puts an end to boredom. And we all know boredom, especially in the gym, leads to plateaued results. That’s why gyms like CrossFit Threefold are so popular and work. The WODs keep things exciting, challenge your mind and are constantly asking you to set new goals and achieve your best one session at a time. 

3. Goal Setting Helps You Monitor Progress

Working out is great but without a purpose you most likely won’t push yourself to the next level. And that’s where the magic happens. In order to get the most of your workouts you have to have a measurable goal that is monitored along the way. This is where CrossFit takes the cake because our coaches are experts at accountability and checking in. Take our Nutrition Challenge. This isn’t just any old program. It’s a program designed and formatted around key elements and ideals that deliver results- one of them being weekly check-ins. 

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It’s so important to track and monitor progress because it encourages you to keep going or to rev things up. Monitoring your achievement also gives you the opportunity to make adjustments if needed, and work a little hard to reach those goals. Setting clear milestones, creating a path to get there and then celebrating your successes are key to developing and sustaining a healthy lifestyle. When you see progress your mind and body soar. You start to yearn for more (aka your best self.) Not to mention monitoring your progress develops organization and gives you something to look forward to. If your mind knows you’ve got a check-in next week, you’ll push yourself more and stay on track. Now that’s something to be proud about.

4. Goal Setting Sets a Purpose

Another benefit of goal setting is that it sets a purpose. Having something great to achieve is an amazing feeling. Knowing you have a goal to beat your last race time or lift heavier, lose those last few pounds or create a healthier lifestyle makes you unstoppable- it makes you purposeful. There’s so much life has to offer but without the right mindset it becomes far too hard to live the way we’re intended to do. Having an image of who you want to be and what you want to accomplish is a powerful tool. It’s one that’ll motivate you through thick and thin. No matter what.

Visualize, Set and Go Get It

So yeah, setting goals definitely has its benefits. You don’t want to walk through life, just going through the motions. There’s too much to miss, and too much to give up. Focus on you, your life, and what you want to achieve. Never letting anything get in your way. Because remember: goal, can also mean Greatest Of All Time. Let that be you and let us get you there. 

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