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It’s the end of February, and we are officially eight weeks into 2017. Unfortunately, this is around the time that we start falling off of our goals for the year. Can you feel it? Can you feel your enthusiasm waning? Let me be transparent. My big goal for the year is to blog more consistently and grow my blog so that it can become another revenue stream. This means I have to write more consistently, attract people who care about what I write, and, in the process, hope that I don’t lose too many people who are already subscribed to my listserv. So far, it’s not going so well. I have not written as much as I’d like to, though I have definitely written more consistently. And when I send out an email featuring my blog posts, a few people do unsubscribe. It can be discouraging.

My results thus far may be similar to your own progress this year. You may be working toward a goal and feel unenthusiastic about your results. And if you do not see the progress you desire, even when you admit to yourself that your efforts have been limited, you may be tempted to stop focusing on that goal and come back to it later, when your life is a little more perfect and you have more time to focus on it. Been there before?
What is it about later that feels more perfect? And when later comes, is it ever as perfect as you’d imagine it would be? Very rarely. While there are times that life may truly be overwhelming, most times, life is just being life. What do I mean? Life is crazy! It is. There are very few snapshots of time when life is indeed perfect for change. But they do not last long. There will always be something popping up. Always. And if you keep stopping and starting on your goals, you may never achieve them. There is something to be said about consistent efforts. Though there may be times when you can give more effort than others, the goal should be to continue working, despite the chaos. Keep pushing forward, and celebrate small wins! Aim to give 100% of what you can give TODAY. 100% may not look the same day to day, but 100 is much more than zero, and over time, those little bits add up.
Here are a few tips for staying consistent, even when life gets busy:
  • Evaluate your goal. Take a step back and think about your goal. Is it achievable? Yes? Great. Can it realistically be accomplished by the deadline you set? Sometimes, our goals are TOO ambitious for the time given. You want to lose weight, but you want to lose all 30lbs in 6 weeks. I can already hear you asking, “What? That’s only 5lbs a week, right?” Sigh…

    The problem with unrealistic deadlines is that it sets you up for failure. Or, it puts undue pressure on you to hit a super high goal every day/week over a long period of time. Some people like setting the bar extremely high, and if that’s you, truly weigh out everything that you will need to sacrifice to get there. If you are willing to pay that cost, move forward. If not, re-examine your goal and decide a timeline that may be more comfortable for you.

  • Make small, consistent efforts. No two days are the same. And you can never predict or control what will happen tomorrow. But even in all of life’s inconsistencies, can you commit to doing ONE thing per day that will move you a little bit closer to your target? This way, you are always moving forward, always progressing. And you will be forming the habit of consistency, which is normally the make or break component for success.
  •  Don’t give up. It’s so easy. It really is. It’s so easy to convince yourself that you do not really want to achieve your goal. It’s so simple to tell yourself that you will just pause now and pick back up in a few days or weeks when your life is less busy. Don’t fall for it. You’ve fallen for it before and have found yourself further away from your goal when you started back. Do. Not. Stop.
  • Remember your “why.” Why is your goal even important to you? Why do you want it? During the course of working toward your vision, there will be times you feel like quitting. You need to develop a strong why to quickly remind yourself what your goals mean to you and how your life will be impacted by achieving them. You have to train yourself so well that whenever you think about wanting to stop, your “why” will immediately tell you to hush and keep going, because quitting is not an option.

So this week, stop waiting for the perfect time. Think about how much effort you can give TODAY that will push you closer to your goal. Do not take time off because “later” sounds better. Be consistent, and keep moving forward!

Article by Joy Diggs

Digg Deep Fitness was founded by personal trainer and registered dietitian, Joy Diggs. Diggs earned her B.A. in Exercise and Sport Science from University of North Carolina and her M.S. in Nutrition from Georgia State University. After completing a dietetic internship at The Ohio State University, she passed the exam to become a registered dietitian. Additionally, she is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

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