There’s so many different types of fitness goals to go after and strive for.
I’ve definitely chased my share of them.
There’s one fitness goal however that always stands out from the rest.
This one fitness goal I believe is the most important one of them all.
Not just for me either, but for all of us.
Episode #8 This Is The #1 Most Important Fitness Goal There Is
The #1 most important fitness goal isn’t weight loss.
It isn’t leaning up, running a marathon, or having six pack abs either.
These are all great goals, just not the most important fitness goal there is.
The #1 most important fitness goal is….
The Next One
Our most important fitness goal will always be the very next one we set for ourselves.
Huh? I know, a bit confusing perhaps… let me explain.
The idea is to always have a fitness goal we are striving for.
Whatever fitness goal you have at the moment, I’m confident you will achieve it.
It’ll be awesome, a great achievement, and reason to celebrate for sure.
The excitement and fulfillment of the achievement however, will only last so long.
It feels awesome, really awesome, but unfortunately it’s short lived.
Why?
The real joy, fulfillment, and sense of achievement comes from what it takes (the journey) to get to the finish line of whatever goal it was we strive for.
It’s the journey, not the finish line, that we celebrate.
It’s never about the finish line, destination, or the actual fitness goal.
Who we become along the way to achieving our goals is the real success.
The person we become, the confidence we feel, the courage we create, the faith that we manifest, and the idea that there’s nothing we can’t do when we commit to doing something, that’s the real success.
When we commit and are relentlessness in our approach, there’s absolutely nothing we can’t do.
All of this doesn’t happen by seeing a certain number on a scale, crossing a finish line, or being handed a medal or award either.
All of these successes happen along the way, during the journey that we embark on to achieve whatever fitness goal we have set for ourselves.
It know it’s cliche to say but it is the absolute truth…
“It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.”
Why Set A Next Goal?
I know that at any given point in my life one of two things is happening…
I’m either growing or I’m dying.
And what decides whether I’m growing or dying is basically what I’m doing or not doing.
If I’m committed to a fitness goal, striving to make it happen, to achieve it, whether it’s to run a marathon, Spartan race, compete in a fitness competition, whatever it may be…
When I’m striving to achieve, I’m growing.
If however stagnant, complacent, not striving or committed to some sort of fitness goal and am at a standstill, status quo, I feel crappy, restless, and unfulfilled.
I’m not growing when I’m at a standstill and not striving for something more.
Regardless of what our fitness goals are, working and making progress towards them is what gives us a sense of fulfillment and happiness.
3 Reasons Why Always Having A Fitness Goal Is A Must
First off, if you already have a goal you’re striving for, awesome! Keep at it.
If you don’t have a fitness goal you’re currently striving to achieve, create one.
It can be absolutely anything too… a 5K race, do 10 push ups or pull ups, be able to do a handstand, run a marathon, fit into a particular size… anything.
Remember it isn’t the actual goal that matters most.
Don’t get me wrong, of course the goal is important although the real success will be the person you become along the way to achieving it.
When I think back to my 50 mile race or the men’s physique competition I was part of, it’s not the awards or medals I received from either event that I think about and am most proud of.
What I think about and am most proud of is the time, energy, effort, hard work, discipline, commitment, and sacrifices I made to achieve each one of these goals.
Get this, I never keep the awards I get from the fitness events I take part in either.
Not because I’m not happy, grateful, or proud of my accomplishments… I definitely am.
More so because it’s not about the finish line or the award… the real trophy is the person I’ve become along the way because of each experience – that to me is the ultimate reward.
Here’s why I hope you consider setting that next goal for yourself:
1) Motion Affects Emotion
Whenever we’re striving to achieve any fitness goal, whatever it may be, there’s motion involved.
Motion as in movement, exercise, working the body in one form or another.
Whether it’s walking, running, swimming, biking, hiking, weight training, whatever it may be.
Most, if not all, fitness goals require some form of motion, movement.
The reason this is important is because motion, affects our emotion.
To put it another way, movement, especially movement associated with exercise, affects what we think, how we feel, and ultimately what we do or believe we are capable of doing.
Motion affects our mood and what we believe is not only possible, but possible for us.
It put us in a position and state of mind to do more, create more, feel more, live more, have more, give more, experience more, and ultimately become more.
2) Progress = Happiness
Whenever we make progress towards our fitness goals, whatever the goal may be, is when we are happiest.
Making progress (the journey towards our goals) is what makes us happy for the long run.
Crossing a finish line, getting a medal or an award, having six pack abs, a flat stomach, or losing weight – these are all amazing achievements with limited happiness.
The destination is fun and makes us happy, but only for a short time.
It diminishes quickly if we do not continue to making progress towards a new goal, the next goal.
It’s not about never being satisfied either, it’s about continuously learning, growing, and making progress.
“How tall will a tree grow? As tall as it can.”
Wise words from my mentor the late Jim Rohn.
Continue to grow and make progress by setting new fitness goals for yourself – it’s one of the quickest and surest ways to happiness.
3) Fulfillment
There’s no better feeling than the feeling of fulfillment.
For me, fulfillment is smiling big as I lie in bed at night, reflecting back on my day and all I am working on or working towards.
It’s thinking about the 22 miles I ran that day as part of my marathon training.
It’s thinking about how I was able to stick to healthy eating in the midst of travel and tempting choices as I train for a fitness competition.
It’s the small daily wins (making progress) that make us feel good, confident, and happy.
Feeling fulfilled feels awesome!
“The ultimate failure is success without fulfillment.”
This is why always striving for that next fitness goal is so important.
The finish line, the trophy, the award, the medal… that feeling of fulfilling from any one of these is temporary because these are all considered the destination.
Fulfillment is found in the journey towards achieving our fitness goals.
It’s the journey towards any fitness goal that will always matter most, not the destination.
What’s Next?
So now I’ll ask you?
What will that next fitness goal be for you?
Will it be running a 5K, a Spartan race, a half or full marathon?
Maybe it’s running a 50 or 100 mile race.
Maybe it’s being able to do 10 full push-ups or a handstand.
I’m running a full marathon in a few weeks and after that, I’m thinking my next fitness goal will be a Spartan race.
If you’re already working towards a fitness goal, awesome!
Keep at it, stay focused, work hard, give it your all, and get it done – I know you will.
As soon as you achieve it (because I know you will achieve it), immediately set that next fitness goal up for yourself and get right back at it.
Let’s feel our absolutely best.
Let’s move, make progress, and live a fulfilling life.
You’re awesome!
Mike
