Will You Have Better Success Setting Goals or Intentions?

To be honest, one thing I love about working with moms is there doesn't tend to be the same influx of aggressive January goals (with unsustainable plans to achieve them) that are common in traditional fitness settings. Moms are exercising for healthy pregnancies, postpartum recoveries, injury prevention, mental health, and to be role models to their families. These are sustainable, year-round goals that don't require an extra push in the New Year.

However, with that said, there is nothing wrong with feeling a little extra motivated going into January. Personally I use goal setting in many areas of life, but when it comes to resolutions in the new year, I've found more success by setting intentions. If you're feeling motivated to kick off 2023 with some changes, let's see what might be the best approach for you...and your next steps.

What is a goal? A goal is a desired result. It's something measurable to achieve

What is an intention? An intention is a guiding principle. It's more about the way you want to live or show up.

When to set goals? If you have something very specific you want to accomplish, in a set amount of time then goals are really helpful.

When to set intentions? If there isn't a specific result you can/want to measure, an intention can help you align your decisions, actions, and thoughts throughout the day/month, or year.

Where to start with goal setting? SMART goals are the most common framework, but there are other helpful tips when it comes to fitness goals. If you work best with a plan of action, then setting out a measurable, actionable, realistic, and timely plan to achieve your goals is your next step. If you're working with me and it's exercise-related, please let me help you with this! An example might be "be able to run at 6 months postpartum with no pain".

Where to start with setting intentions? Make sure your intention or mantra is positive and simple. Your intention should be something that you can keep in the forefront of your mind daily. You don't need a specific plan, rather you try to align your thoughts and behaviors with it. An example might be "move more".

Wishing you much success!

2019 Fitness Reflections: Don't Skip This Goal Setting Step

Setting goals, creating an overall plan and then designing a step by step process to achieve that goal is a strength of mine almost to a fault (as it can be time consuming to create detailed plans). However, this strength is what allows me to help others reach their goals and why I keep Active Mom Fitness training personalized. One discussion I like to have with people before looking forward is to get a picture of their past. So this year, as we approach 2020 and you get ready to set fitness goals for the New Year, I encourage you to reflect on 2019.

Taking the time to acknowledge success and identify challenges will better prepare you to not only set realistic and achievable goals, but put more thought into your plan to achieve them. Do yourself a favor, find 10 minutes and use these questions as a guide. Take a day to let your answers process and then get to goal setting.

2019 Fitness Reflection Questions

1. I was able to be the most consistent with exercise when______.

2. The biggest barrier to interfere with my exercise routine was______.

3. If I plan ahead, I could work around that barrier by ______.

4. One physical activity I’m really happy I did this year was______.

5. One goal that turned out to be unrealistic was_______, because_________.

6. I said I was going to ______ this year, and I did!

7. Exercise this year made me feel______.

8. I really enjoyed being physically active with my family when we ______.

9. One area in my fitness that I could use more guidance and support is______.

10. Yay me! The best part of my wellness in 2019 was ______

I hope you found this reflection enlightening. Keep this in mind as you set and get ready to crush your 2020 goals! If you’re looking for guidance on setting and achieving new goals, schedule a free phone consultation to see if Active Mom Fitness can support you in the new year!