Setting Strong, Strong Goals

Setting Strong, Strong Goals

By: Payton Cowan

One of the BIGGEST skills that powerlifters and strength athletes need in order to succeed in their discipline is the ability to set goals.

Whether the goals are strength training related or life related, it is important to learn how to reasonably set goals and set a “game plan” in order to achieve them.

There are three general types of goals we are going to be discussing today: Unrealistic, Empty and Reasonable (Obtainable).

While it's important to keep each of these in mind, remember that this is just a small guide to help you get the MOST out of your training and potentially your life.

Unrealistic Expectations

The most common goal seen in life and strength training is the “unrealistic goal”.

These are goals set without considering the conditions that you have to work through and neglecting whether that goal is attainable or not. of that goal.

One of the easiest ways to think about unrealistic goals is this: You have set a goal to become a millionaire, awesome. However you only have enough money to buy a drink from the gas station and you want to complete this goal by the end of the week.

Is this a little extreme as an example? Maybe. However it puts it into perspective and  allows to look at it objectively by asking, how do we avoid setting these goals over others?

This is where 'Mapping Out the Path to the Goal', aka the first step, of the goal-setting process comes into play. This map does not have to be detailed, just a guide post of how you are going to achieve the goal set forth.

If you're brutally honest with yourself and the conditions around you, it will be easy to see if the goal is reasonable.

One important thing to remember that a goal is unreasonable, that does not mean it cannot be obtained at some point in the journey. just that the initial timeline set may have been a bit aggressive.

Filling Your Cup with Nothing

Next is one of the most toxic types of goals that exist within society today, the "Empty Goal"

Empty goals are a thought that is a husk of a goal, with absolutely no true meaning behind it. These goals are set either because people feel its the "right path" or their life is comfortable and the change they see coming is scary.

Setting goals like this can cause stagnation while allowing unhappiness to reign supreme without the hope to save oneself.

So how do you counter it?

The first step is to grit your teeth and trust yourself. Oftentimes, after setting empty goals, the person can take a long introspective look and see they don't have the passion for reaching this goal. This isn't always found on the first try or even the tenth, but re-examining your goals with that determination is a huge part in making them a reality.

Remember that goals are for YOU, by YOU and for no one else.

Be REASONABLE about it

What kind of goal can take one to the top?

The answer is simple really, the tried and true reasonable goal. This type of goal is made by pairing good aspirations with a reasonable time frame. Once this combination is achieved it leads to motivation for your current goal and momentum towards others

One concept that is incredibly powerful is the “snowball effect”. This is where a small success leads to motivation, which makes taking multiple steps easier. This can be used with efficient goal planning to create a much more manageable path to success anywhere in life. 

If you are looking for a little bit more on Reasonable Goal setting we dive into it in THIS ARTICLE about depression.

The Goal Line

Learning how to set goals and knowing what type of goals there are, is a very important skills that people require to progress through life. Understanding that setting blind goals without consideration is not the most efficient way to motivate yourself, while alternatively, being realistic and setting reasonable goals will allow you to see change and be motivated to continue the chase.

When you consider all of this, we hope that you feel the URGE to look at the goals you are chasing and ask yourself the simple question:

Am I truly passionate about this?

FOLLOW THEIR JOURNEY

If you are looking to follow and learn from some amazing people and powerlifters follow the links below or read thisarticle for some great stories. Or if you are looking for programming, you can find one of our free programs here or you can reach out to one of our team members to see how to take your training to the next level.


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