Without goals, there is no purpose. Today I’m going to talk about goal setting, its importance in any training regimen (and in life), and tips on how to create and achieve your goals.

Most of you probably joined CrossFit Elysium with a general fitness goal. This goal may have been to lose weight, to regain your former “body”, to become more flexible, and so on. Hopefully we have helped you achieve or at least come closer to those goals. Now, I’m going to let you in on a little secret, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise:

GOALS CAN TAKE A LONG TIME TO ACHIEVE, AND HAVE TO BE WORKED ON.

Well, duh. Who doesn’t know that? I mention it, though, because it’s important to remind yourself of it, especially if you’ve been a member for a while. It’s actually easy to forget, and if we can’t or don’t know why we aren’t achieving our goals, that leads to discouragement. Discouragement leads to apathy and giving up, and that leads you nowhere. So, first let’s start with exactly what a goal is.

What is a goal?

A goal is NOT A WISH. It is something you can and want to achieve, through hard work, and it is specific in both method and time.

Simply saying “I want to lose weight” is not a goal, sorry. That’s a wish. That’s a dream that has no endpoint, has no method. Thus, it is almost certainly doomed to fail. Here is an example of a goal concerning weight loss-

“I will lose 10lbs in two months, by coming to the gym 3x/week and cutting out all soda and bread”.

Now that is a goal. It has a defined endpoint. It has a timeframe, keeping you accountable. It has a solid plan.

A goal has to be tempered by realism. After all, some things are doable, some will be tough to reach but you could get there, and others probably aren’t realistic. For example, I know that in all likelihood I’ll never be able to do some of the high level gymnastic movements on the rings. Would I like to? Sure, but given I have no gymnastics background and am 33 yrs old I could practice for the rest of my life, and probably only have blown shoulders to show for it. So when you go to set a goal, make it something you’ll have to work at, but have a shot of actually doing. One good method for keeping things manageable is to make “mini” goals that get you to your overall endpoint. Want to lose 50lbs? Set a goal to lose 10lb first, and then just keep going bit by bit. It’ll keep you sane, focused, and positive, since you’re less likely to fail. Speaking of…

You have to be willing to fail.

If there was no chance of failing a goal, it wasn’t hard or meaningful enough. It’s ok to fail, as long as you keep trying. And, usually we learn more from our failures than our successes (it really is true; it’s amazing how all those old sayings actually have truth behind them).

Part of the reason I am mentioning all of this, and said it is especially important for some of you who have been with us for a while, is because a lot of you have probably achieved your initial goals. Or, you never had a well-defined goal from the start, and now you might be in a plateau, wondering exactly what you are doing when you come in to the gym. That’s ok. Here’s your chance to redefine your goals, or set a new one. The coaches are more than happy to help you set a goal for yourself- we can work on the goal itself, the time frame, how to get you there, etc. Just ask us.

Why is a goal so important in training?

I touched on some of the reasons above. The main reason is it reminds you WHY YOU ARE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. Training in a serious way can suck sometimes, we know. While we’re doing max rep pull ups or back squats, the weak and lazy are sitting on a couch, complaining about how life owes them a favor. Often training has little to no immediate positive feedback- you’re tired, your hands are ripped, but there’s no pot of gold after the workout. You don’t immediately feel or know you are stronger. A goal keeps you focused and will drive your mental intensity. It will help you push through those times you think you’re going nowhere. I’ll give you an example from one of our own-

Once Sherrie H. got into CrossFit, she quickly made doing a full pullup one of her goals. She looked at the ladies who could do pullups with awe and maybe a little envy, as in “why can they do that and I can’t?” So, she set herself towards achieving her goal. Along the way, she used the bands appropriately and pushed herself hard. She must have torn her hands at least 20 times by my count. She definitely had slower times on some workouts than other people when she forced herself to use a weaker band- had she not had her goal and just “wanted to go fast”, she could have used a bigger band and finished faster, but that wouldn’t have helped her with her goal. So, Sherrie stuck with it. Guess what? Pretty soon, she was able to do a full pullup, surprising even herself! Then, she did 2. Then, 6. Now her max is 22 (probably more at this point). She is an example of someone who set a goal, worked for it, and USED THE GOAL to keep pushing herself. That is why a goal is important in training.

Unfortunately, serious results take serious effort, and serious time. I want a 400lb deadlift, and I know it may be a year or more until I get there. If I didn’t have my main goal (getting a 400lb deadlift) combined with smaller goals (hit 2.5x bodyweight first, etc.), I may get discouraged along the way.

How do I create and achieve a goal then?

The most important step is coming up with something YOU care about. If you don’t care, you won’t stick with it. So, if you don’t truly care about a double bodyweight back squat, don’t make that a goal. Along that line, I wouldn’t set a goal for someone else’s sake. Do it for yourself or not at all. If your significant other thinks you should lose 10lbs but you actually are happy with yourself as you are, don’t try and lose 10lbs for him/her. Screw ‘em. Take care of yourself first.

Once you’ve decided on a general goal, get specific. Here’s an example.

General goal = “stronger”. Specific goal = “bodyweight clean and jerk (or whatever)”

Next, try and set a realistic time frame. Then, come up with a plan of attack. The coaches, as always, can help with this. So now our goal may look like this-

“bodyweight clean and jerk in 3 months, by hitting all the strength workouts hard, doing extra practice after class, and eating at least 1 gram of protein/lb of bodyweight every day”. That is a SOLID goal.

Now, you’ve got to work at it. Actually put your plan into place and put your money where your mouth is. Make yourself PUBLICLY ACCOUNTABLE. Let others know about your goal. They will help support your on your way there, and you are MUCH LESS LIKELY to quit and let yourself down when you know other people will know about it. That is a tried-and-true statement borne out by countless experiences.

Finally, everyone should realize that most fitness goals overlap tremendously. So, if a coach comes up with a mini-goal for you, to help you to your seemingly-unrelated main goal, don’t fret. Two good examples would be-

1. I.        You want your back pain to go away. We have you squat and deadlift. Your back pain goes away, by virtue of increased strength and joint stability.
2. II.        You want to lose 10lbs. We set a goal for you to run a sub 1:30 400m. Wha?! Well, if your running needs work, it may turn out that by achieving a sub 1:30 400m run, you ALSO lose 10 (or more) pounds. See how we can kill multiple birds with one stone? We’re sneaky like that.

What are we doing at CrossFit Elysium and goals?

A couple of things. We have created a new member packet which we distribute to all the new members of the family. It goes over a lot of what I covered here, but also addresses some common stages new CrossFitters go through. We have plenty available and encourage our existing members to grab one as well- just ask us for it.

Also, the whiteboard by the stairs will be our “Goals” board. Here is your place/chance to make yourself accountable. Come up with a goal, and write it down in BIG, BRIGHT LETTERS. Let everyone know what you are working towards. The coaches will help you get there, and periodically we’ll see where people are at. Anyone who achieves a goal will have the entire Elysium family cheering them on, and anyone who needs a little more help will have the support of the entire gym. Look for the board to be ready soon, and get your own goal up there! Until next time- let’s nail some goals!

Coach L