First ask yourself, "Why am I training?". If you don't have an answer to this question, its probably no wonder your training program is failing you. You have no direction. How can you stay focused, create an effective training program and muster up the motivation everyday to train if you don't have a clear reason as to why you do what you do? The answer is you can't.
Next ask yourself, "What do I gain by working towards this goal?". Again not knowing this can lead to training failure. Maybe you gain confidence, a deeper understanding of yourself and what you can do (mentally and physically), pride, fearlessness, strength.... The list can go on! But if you don't know what the gain is from what you are doing, why are you doing it?
People can get very confused when it comes to setting goals and training with a purpose. Most of the time this is because people aren't honest with themselves about what they want, they set unrealistic goals, and sell themselves short. How many times do you see individuals (or yourself) say I want to train to fight or lose weight or gain confidence and then training comes to a crashing halt? Why does this happen so often?
Much of the time this is because people stay focused on the larger goal more than the smaller goals/steps that are more achievable on a day to day basis. If your goal or purpose is to train to fight (whether it's in competition or testing your skills through sparring), this is a measurable and clear goal. But on a day to day basis focusing on the big goal vs the daily accomplishments can sabotage your success. You only have control over one day at a time. You aren't fighting today but today you can work on perfecting your jab, your footwork, your defense. Everyday your small goals step you closer to the purpose of your training, while simultaneously giving you a purpose for training. This is the same for the person who has a weight loss goal. We all know someone or have experienced this...my goal is to lose 20lbs! Great! You can't lose 20lbs in a day! So if that is your main focus you will get frustrated. The solution is to focus on what you do have control over in your day to day. You can choose to walk more, hit the gym, drink more water, stop eating when your full, etc. It's also very important to understand when your goal is weight loss to understand what you gain from this goal because that will keep you going more than the number on the scale changing. Each little step nudges you closer to the main goal. And you don't always have control over the time frame, so be patient (more on this in later posts).
Your larger purpose or goal gives you direction! You have to know why you train and what you gain from training in order to stay on track. Whether you goal is to fight, loss weight, run a marathon or lower your blood pressure ask yourself why! Why am I doing this? What is the benefit of achieving this goal? What will I gain from accomplishing this? So when times get tough, you don't want to do it anymore, you feel frustrated, defeated and unmotivated you will be able to dig deep and remind yourself of what this all means to you. I can't say it enough, this stuff is so mental and our biggest battles are in our head (I think Teresa, my friend and sparring partner, reminded me of that). Get the stuff upstairs (in your mind) all clear and the rest will be much simpler.
Simplify. Set realistic measurable goals. Know why you are training. Know what you gain from training. Stay focused on your daily, controllable steps. Acknowledge your daily achievements.
At our training center (Warrior Fighting Sports & Fitness) we pride ourselves on giving members a purpose for training. They aren't just simply coming in and working out. They are training for a fight, for confidence, for life changes, and for something greater than appearance. We train with a purpose that goes beyond the surface and can bring out the best in you!
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