The Psychology of Setting Goals

When it comes to fitness, goals are what keeps us motivated and moving forward. Without an end goal in mind, it’s easier to make excuses and give up. While having something to work for is important, whether that’s a desired physique or taking your reps up a notch, the steps you take towards reaching your goals are just as significant as achieving them.

Studies show that if you train your mind to focus on a goal, you achieve fulfillment once you reach it. If you don’t reach it, your mind will keep nudging you until you achieve it. If you’re goal-oriented and focused, you’re more likely to have a positive outlook on life and take failures in stride. As we work to reach a goal, our confidence grows, our skills are sharpened, and we develop more internal control. Ready to set some goals for yourself? Here are 5 tips on how to set goals and reach them like the star student you are!

MAKE A PLAN

Making sure you know what your goals are and how to reach them is the first step. Lucky for you, the FBK app makes it super easy to create a plan and execute it. Having a plan in place helps create a habit. When making a plan, pair it with measurable goals and give yourself a reasonable timeframe to achieve it. For example, losing 8lbs during an 8-week FBK challenge is totally doable. Once you have that goal and plan in place, all you have to do is form new habits that will help you see it through. 

COMMIT!

Goal performance is strongest when you’re committed. Studies have shown that if you’re less committed to a goal, especially a challenging goal, the more likely you are to give up. Have that pep talk with yourself and dig into the “why” of your goal. Writing down that “why” in a place where you will see it daily will help instill discipline by reminding yourself why you started in the first place. When you’re all-in on reaching your goals, performance improves and you’re more likely to crush it. 

EXPLORE YOUR RESOURCES

Knowledge is power! The more you know about your goals and how to reach them, the more likely you are to reach them. Use the FBK blog library to help you learn all that you can about strength training, macros, and mindset. If you’re working with a coach during the #FBKGetSchooled challenge, use their expert advice to understand what you need to do to reach your goal. Not doing the coached version? No problem! Use the #FBKGetSchooled Facebook group for insight from other participants. 

Here are a couple of our favorite resources to review: 

• Warming Up Before Your Workout Matters
• Maximizing Your Rest Days
• Build Muscle with Hypertrophy
• Importance of Hitting Your Protein Goals
• Reasons the Scale May Fluctuate

And, don’t forget, each week since you are in the #FBKGetSchooled Challenge, the resources and information we send you will be housed here, just for you: https://fitbykaty.com/blogs/FBK-get-schooled 

BE ACCOUNTABLE 

We’re all about accountability at FBK, that’s the best part of our community! Use your weekly check-ins to keep you on track week after week. Our private Facebook group is the perfect place to get a little motivation from a fellow participant. Doing the challenge with a friend? Keep each other accountable by working out together or checking in every day. 

Make sure you’re accountable to yourself, too. Be honest about your progress - are you really hitting your macros? Are you really giving it your all in the gym? Are you really doing the entire 30 minute cardio 3x per week? Stay honest with yourself, and the results will come! 

USE REWARDS

Let’s be real, we all do better when there’s a reward involved! Coming up with a way to treat yourself once you reach a goal will make it that much sweeter. Maybe you’ve been eyeing some new workout clothes or running shoes? A reward is a great way to keep you on track and give yourself a little extra motivation. 

Having a goal to work towards gives us purpose and helps build confidence. There’s no better feeling than reaching a goal and seeing the positive change in ourselves along the way. By following our 5 steps to setting a goal and keeping it, you’ll be reaching them in no time!

SET GOALS LIKE AN FBK COACH

Coaches have goals, too! Learn more about how our coaches shape their mindset, follow through on their goals, and learn from their failures so they can keep going and keep growing.