I write my goals down regularly. And guess what happens? I usually achieve them. I don’t say that to impress you. I say it to impress upon you that it’s possible.
Hear me out: A study out of the Dominican University of California found that when people wrote down their goals, they were 42 percent more likely to achieve them. Forty-two percent! That’s an advantage I’ll take any day. Wouldn’t you?
Writing down your goals gives you mental clarity—and having that mental clarity will help you do what it takes to actually achieve those goals.
Not buying it? I’m here to help you follow through. Here’s exactly what you do—it’s simple!
- Grab a journal and a pen and find a quiet space where you can be unbothered for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Ask yourself, “What do I want out of this challenge?” I’m willing to bet your first answer will probably be something like, “I want to lose weight.” That’s why you picked this program, after all. But whatever that first gut reaction is, write it down!
- Then—this is the really important part—ask yourself, “Why?” Why do you want to achieve this particular goal? Write that down.
- Repeat this process four more times. Each time you’ll identify additional goals that are wrapped up in your overall quest. Maybe you want to feel strong, maybe you want to wake up with energy, maybe you want to be able to run a mile.
- Make sure you ask “why?” after penning down each of your additional goals.
- Review. As you read over what you’ve written, you’ll realize you’ve uncovered some of your deeper reasons for wanting to achieve these goals—and all through such a simple exercise! That right there, is your key.
Think of it this way: Sooner or later, your desire to sit on the couch and binge-watch your favorite TV show is going to override your desire for abs. It happens. But when you uncover the deeper reasons for wanting to do this challenge—like being healthier for your children—you give yourself the power to create motivation.
Listen, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to get in amazing shape. But I’ve been doing this successfully for a long time and I can promise you that, more often than not, the motivation to simply drop pounds is not enough to power you through the tough times.
So try this goal-writing exercise for yourself and see where it leads you! If you want to share your goals and realizations with fellow challengers like you, tag me (@adamrosante) and #Goalgetters on Instagram! Your voice could be just what someone else on this journey needs to hear to push on.