Moving into the 2nd quarter...

So almost a quarter of 2011 is done. How are those goals coming? How many of them are still being pursued? Unfortunately, by now a great number of those goals set in good faith back in ball-bitingly cold darkness of January, are now a distant memory and past habits are sneaking back up on us and we are back at square one!

Usually, this is due to poor goal setting. We try to change so many things all at once that it overwhelms us and makes us afraid to take the necessary steps to achieve the goals set. The goals are too big, too far reaching and too unrealistic to be attacked successfully.

So, what can we do to make these massive challenges a little bit more achievable?  Well we can make them a bit S.M.A.R.T. (er).

Specific - No point in saying you want to, say, lose weight. Be specific, I want to lose _____ pounds.

Measurable - Set a starting point, your current weight, waist measurement, body fat %.

Achievable - Set a goal that can be reached. No need saying you want to drop 50lbs if you only weigh 130 now, skeletons aren't sexy!

Realistic - Likewise if you weigh 350lbs, don't expect to drop 180 of them in 6 months. Unless you plan on losing some body parts!

Time bound - Set yourself a time frame in which you will reach your target. Deadlines work. Give yourself a goal to acheive by a certain time and plan a reward when you get there.

As for my own goals set back in January,  I am progressing nicely thank you very much! I've almost completed my course, just waiting for results to come through, I'm a little nervous because you never know for sure until you get them that you have done well.
I'm getting better at getting up a little earlier, but now I'm not studying for exams, motivation for that one is slipping!
The target of 150 training sessions for the year is coming too, by the time this goes up, I'll have completed number 39 which puts me on track for 160 for 2011. Its tough but since I'm following Maximum Strength, its easier since I dont have to think too much about what I'm doing each time. I just have to get my ass in to the gym!
Nutritionally, I'm working on it... I have been blessed and cursed in that in my youth I could shovel any old crap into my mouth and still perform at a reasonably high level at which ever sport I was doing at the time, and because I was always on the go, I didn't gain any weight. It now means, however, that I'm having to break the habits of a lifetime by eating cleaner and being conscious of what I eat to properly fuel my body. Feeling better for it, naturally, but I still have a few too many "cheat days"!

So, moving forward, I have set myself some more goals. As I've previously mentioned, your goals have to be continually re-assessed and re-set as you progress. This keeps them fresh, relevant and ensures you continue progressing. My new goals are:

• Read at least 2 books a month, every month, for the rest of the year. Its gonna be a combination of fiction and non-fiction. I've got a pile to catch up on and I'll put up what I'm reading and my thoughts on them as I go.
• Complete Maximum Strength on schedule (end of June)
• Complete my first aid/CPR course asap and get my R.E.P.S. registration.
• Register my business
• Organise my spare bedroom as a study/ work room for Zoe
• Change jobs
• Blog twice a week consistently
• Get a website up for my Personal Training business
• Take on 10 new clients over the first 3 months

So, there they are. Hopefully putting them up here, I'll hold myself accountable and get them all done. As I intend blogging more, I'll be keeping this up to date with my progress, and hopefully I'll be re-assessing my goals sooner rather than later to continue progressing!

I hope all your goals are going well.