In my post yesterday I talked about evaluating your purpose when it comes to your training and the decisions you make. I mentioned three actions to ensure you are moving closer to the goal you want to achieve:

1. Understanding today IS the most important day in your journey towards a goal.
2. Clearly understanding what you want accomplish.  
3. Being able to access if your action is moving you closer to your goal. If not, time to stop doing it and change course.

Training a certain way because that is what you have always done it without evaluating whether or not it is actually moving you closer to your goal is a recipe for stagnation. Adding purposeful variety to training can be very helpful in keeping your journey not only challenging but fun at the same time. 

As a follow up to those action steps above, an excellent way to make sure your actions are aligning with your goal is to have a clear understanding of why achieving the goal is important to you. Now it is important to make the distinction between an externally focused and internally focused goal. 

An externally focused goal would be I want to finish in X place in a particular event or I want to lose X number of pounds. These goals are often tied to how others will perceive you rather than your own reason for wanting to achieve them. 

You will have a much greater chance of success if you have an internally focused goal. This means a clear understanding of why achieving the goal is important to your health and well being. Quite simply, this goal will fulfill you, add to your own sense of well being and happiness, and has little to do with how others will feel about you. 

Once you have a clear understanding of your true internal motivation (i.e., self awareness), there is one strategy which will help you create consistency and meaning as you progress through your journey. 

Recommit to your process everyday. Everyday as soon as you wake up.

Recommit. 

Day after day.

The picture below is one way I keep myself accountable to my goals. It's my daily gratitude journal where I document what I'm grateful for, acknowledges opportunities, what I accomplished, what I want to do tomorrow, and what I want to improve on in the future. This is done at night to help clear my mind and set up a good sleep. 

Your Turn...

You have a goal?

It's essential to know why the goal is important to your health and well being as that will help you recommit everyday and take the purposeful action needed to make it happen. 

#MakeTodayMatter

Your Coach, 

Patrick

P.S. Need help developing a strategy to meet your goals? Email me at patrick@endurancejourney.com or send me a note on facebook and let's chat. Our Group Training, Nutrition and Coaching Programs provide the support and guidance you need to help you achieve your ideal health and performance.