Consider this new spin on 90-day goal setting.
Are you happy with who and what you have become during the past 18 months? As we dare to dream that life could return to some semblance of normal, now is a great time for some self-reflection.
Are you happy with how you spent the past 12+ months, or were you in a bit of a funk and are maybe now dealing with the realization that you didn’t make the healthiest choices during lockdown?
We can see the end of summer break and (especially if you are a parent) it is time to start getting organized for the return to school, in-person work, and hopefully, a return to a somewhat “normal” life. September has traditionally been a time when new routines are made and goals are set. Why not give yourself an extra bonus few weeks (especially if you have let things slide during lockdown)!
Goal Setting
First, take an honest inventory of where you are now and then set some clear goals.
Make these 30, 60, and 90-day goals–but hence the “new spin on 90 day goal setting.” Start with a 90-day goal. Make it big! Mine is actually a target for work, but more about this later. Next, set your 30-day goal. This is where it is a bit different from traditional 90-day goal setting systems. Make the 30-day goal action-oriented NOT results-oriented. For example, if your 90-day goal is “I want to lose 20 lbs” make your 30-day goal something like “I will intentionally move my body 35 mins every day for 30 days”
Click here for more information about setting attainable fitness goals.
Think in terms of three’s
Think in terms of three’s. An example is “every day I will move my body for 35 mins, drink 2 litres of water, and include a salad in one of my meals.” Interestingly enough, momentum often makes three things easier to do instead of one.
Link these three goals to a trigger. For instance, “every time I do x I will do y.” Every time I go to the bathroom I will drink half a bottle of water. Connecting a current activity to the one you want to start doing on a regular basis is a life-tip from my favourite book, “High Performance Habits” by Brendon Burchard. You can actually get the book here for FREE.
Sprint at Day 60
Use Day 60 check-in to do a sprint. Whatever your goal is, double your action for a week starting at day 60. Maybe it is two exercise sessions a day for a few days to really “up” your game. This will cause you to recommit to your goal but also motivate you by revving up your results.
Celebrate!
Celebrate your accomplishments AND your consistency! At the beginning of your 90-day period, set yourself positive rewards. At the end of 30 and 60 days treat yourself to those rewards. Make sure it is something that you want but will encourage you, not set you back. For example a new workout outfit instead of an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Let’s get Personal
Here is my personal goal. The pandemic brought a lot of changes in both my work and parenting life (online school anyone?!). Transitioning to a new career is my 90-day goal.
At first, I thought that reliable childcare to allow me to complete my certification was going to be my biggest challenge (again, online school) but then my body gave out.
Gluten wrecks my body. At the beginning of the pandemic, I went from avoiding gluten to eating homemade bread daily. As a result, my body is riddled with inflammation (resulting in numerous health issues and major discomfort). Inflammation also results in weight gain. My main goal is not necessary to lose weight (though I know that will be a nice by-product) but instead to heal my body from inflammation. This will help with brain fog and chronic pain allowing me to be more focused and effective.
Digging Deeper
When setting goals it is important to look at the how and the why. For instance, who would have thought that dealing with the root cause of inflammation would be important in a career change? As it turns out, my biggest hurdle to achieving my 90-day goal is that I am in constant pain and not sleeping.
So although I am diligently working away on my certificate, I am on day three of a strict gluten-free diet and supplement regimen. Of course, I am also focusing on gentle movement and stretching. That’s it. I am starting small.
Yes, I am being more conscious of my movement and hydration, but beating inflammation is mainly based on the consistency of my food choices.
Small choices and actions compound and become atomic habits. Let’s rejoin society as our best selves who have confidence from setting goals and achieving them.
