Commitments > Goals
We know that goals are important to have. They inspire us to achieve something more in life. We even come up with cute acronyms to make them more specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. Isn’t that “SMART.”
Apart from my poor “dad joke,” goals are, none-the-less important. Without them we have no aim. Which will lead to anxiety and, I could argue, a less satisfying life. I would certainly rather have one or two goals over none.
But simply keeping them specific, measurable and attached to some arbitrary end date, does not seem satisfactory to me. For years I have come up with goals for myself. Just like you – every new year! Over time, that shifted to 6-month goals and then progressed to quarterly.
What I learned is that the frequency isn’t what makes me tick. It doesn’t accelerate the process. In fact, I would say that it almost became a “check the box” to-do for my own ego.
More recently, I have begun to think about the greater purpose behind my goals. This itself has brought more meaning to my choices of what to aim for. They are still “S.M.A.R.T.” goals, they align with my values, and they are chosen to put me on track toward my ultimate life goals as well.
But the real value is the idea of COMMITMENTS toward these goals.
Thinking about it, I bet 99% of people reading this have goals in mind. Shoot, I bet 75% of you physically wrote them down somewhere (ie. Whiteboard, your fridge, a planner, etc.). And that is a phenomenal idea! Keep them visible.
However, I would bet money that very few of us write down our COMMITMENTS to our goals. I believe that is where the real value is. What are you willing to promise yourself to towards achieving the goals you set? What are the action steps that you are going to unwaveringly commit yourself to?
For example, let’s just say my goal is to lose 10 pounds of fat before the new year. I have a great SMART goal! It is specific – I’ve attached a measurable to it (10lbs). This is totally achievable. As a fitness professional, this is relevant as I want to be an example for the people I get to help with their fitness journey. Lastly, I’ve attached an end date to it (end of this calendar year).
But it is just a goal. It’s an end point, an aim. Nowhere within that is the how. This is where commitments come into play.
I will COMMIT myself to testing my bodyfat percentage every 6 weeks. I will COMMIT myself taking in the appropriate number of calories. I will COMMIT myself to taking in more protein daily. I will COMMIT myself to resistance training four days per week. I will COMMIT myself to a 10-minute walk after every meal. I will COMMIT myself to performing some form of cardiovascular activity twice per week.
If I COMMIT to controllable actions that are chosen to prove valuable toward my goal, logic tells me that I will be more likely to achieve the goal!
Commit to it! Hold yourself accountable. Day after day, watch your confidence build. After one week of holding yourself to a higher standard, imagine the momentum you will feel encouraged by! Tell a friend or family member, get them involved in holding you accountable. Best case scenario, you create an opportunity for THEM to improve, and you have a little partner in crime encouraging each other to be your best selves.
This doesn’t cost us any money, and we do not need to rely on anyone else.
All it takes is a little extra thought on the front end. And then it is all up to you to do the work and SHINE YOUR LIGHT!