Nothing good was ever achieved by staying inside your comfort zone. I guess that’s why we call it an achievement, because it wasn’t an easy process to get there. It’s often the hardest challenges that we overcome, that we feel most grateful/ excited/ proud of achieving.
For me and Sophie, we experience this in the short term on a day to day basis within our daily training or more long term in aiming to become professional triathletes. But everyone has different goals for themselves. Short term goals could include speaking up in a work meeting to put your ideas forward or trying a new recipe you haven’t cooked before or even just getting your children to finish a meal. Long term goals could be a change of career to your dream job, turning vegetarian or having children.
Whatever your goal is, short term or long term, you will have to get outside of your comfort zone to get there. Remember, “Nothing good was ever achieved by staying inside your comfort zone”. But is there a way to make it easier… quicker… more achievable… Yes, there is!! For me and Sophie, in whatever goals we set ourselves, we follow the S.M.A.R.T principle.
Specific
Make your goal specific/ relevant to you. A goal for one person, is going to be very much different to another person even if the goal seems to be similar. For example, myself and Sophie have both given ourselves the long term goal of becoming professional triathletes in one year. But that doesn’t mean our training in the same as we have different strengths/ weaknesses, physical capabilities in terms of our heart rate zones, nutritional needs, etc.
Measurable
Give yourself markers or key points to achieve when aiming for your goal, so you can measure your progress along the way. For example, if you are looking to complete your first marathon, give yourself progressive distances to achieve from week to week in the lead up to your race.
Achievable
Set yourself goals that you can achieve, otherwise it is going to affect your self belief if you keep setting yourself goals that you do not succeed in. A good way to do this is to set yourself short term goals to help lead to one overall long term goal.
Realistic
Ask yourself some simple questions about your goal to see if it is realistic for you to achieve. Is it physically possible? Do you have the skillset? If you don’t have the skillset, can it be learned? Does your lifestyle allow for your goal?
Time Frame
Give yourself a time period for your goal. This way you can reflect on why you haven’t been successful and what you need to do better next time to achieve your goal or revel in your achievement and look forward to what your next goal is going to be.
