I read some reputable research recently (wish I could quote – probably Women’s Health or Self magazines) that people who set a lofty goal achieve more than those who set realistic goals. I would argue that people fall into two categories in this respect…

My best friend likes to set ridiculous goals. She achieves a helluva lot, but rarely attains the full goal. You could say she’s a great argument for setting outrageous goals based on her at times incredible progress, but she really beats herself up over these “failures”, e.g. losing 17lbs instead of 20lbs. Make of that what you will.

I like to set a Realistic goal and surpass it – that way I get to feel like an overachiever in a good way, and I find it very motivating. Ridiculous Goal Friend thinks that makes me kind of lame, but I see it this way: if I set a goal to lose 50 lbs in a year @ 1 lb per week and start falling behind in hitting those weekly targets, I’ll give up. And probably regain. If I set that goal for 20 lbs and don’t postpone starting, I’ll hit that even if life gets in the way (stress, vacation, illness, etc) for a few weeks here and there.

I guess what I’m saying is, be conscious of how you personally respond to challenges, successes and failures.

Mike

Do you have a friend you could phone every week? You simply tell him/her how many times you’ve worked out that week, and what you weigh. He/she does not respond or give judgement – just notes it down in a book, say.

Weirdly, this public outing can really work.

I’ve resolved to stop checking my stock portfolio every 2 hours. I resolve this every year, and usually go about a week before slipping into bad habits again!