“I don’t focus on what I am up against. I focus on my goals and try to ignore the rest”
- Venus Williams
My focus for 2018 was STRONGER!
Stronger relationships
Stronger mind
Stronger body
Stronger business
Stronger experiences
So when my pilates reformer gym, VIVE, challenged it’s members to the first ever RISE UP Challenge, which involved completing 20 VIVE sessions in 30 days, of course my response was ”sign me up!”
Prior to this challenge I was completing 3 sessions per week, so I figured I would be able to squeeze in another 2 sessions into my already full diary.
Little did I realise what was possible, when faced with a CHALLENGE and an inspiring GOAL.
In the first week, a few of the team would suggest we try and do more than one session in a day. An idea, that only a week before seemed absurd!
Regardless, a few of us gave it a crack.
Before we know it, there was healthy banter between the four competing teams, and of course, nothing creates some healthy competition than a scoreboard tallying the daily team result. My natural competitive nature kicked in (FYI - competitive with myself more than anyone else) and my determination level rose dramatically.
Within days, I find myself completing 2, 3 and even 4 sessions a day (yes... 4 sessions on the weekends, clearly I don’t have a life).
In the first 9 days, I had smashed the original goal of 20 sessions, so what now? I had to reassess my original goal.
40 was the new target. 40 in 30 days.
20 days into the challenge, I’d reached that new target.
My 9yr old (who thinks I am slightly mad) threw out the new challenge “mumma, you should go for 60 sessions!”
After an initial scoff “no way, I am away one weekend, it’s not doable”, I changed my thinking from “it's not possible” to “how can I make this possible?”.
I started getting up 2 hours earlier and attending 2 sessions prior to traveling into the city. I would race home after work to squeeze in another session before heading home.
Admittedly, I did turn into one of those middle age women with a “pilates obsession”, but besides that, I am very proud to report, that by day 30 of the challenge, I superseded all my goals.
I completed 62 sessions
Have built my core strength; and
Lost a couple of centimetres from my hips and waist (which was just an added bonus)!
Why am I sharing this?
The challenge reminded me of some very important principles in terms of motivation and achieving results/success. Whether it’s a fitness goal, personal goal or an important work or business goal, the following Five Key Success Principles apply.
Importance of goal setting: setting ‘stretch’ goals that inspire you vs demotivate you. It’s amazing what we are willing to do to achieve a goal if we really want something enough. What do you want?
Sharing your goals publicly: this forces us to be more accountable and therefore more likely to do the work to achieve it, pushing past our own internal roadblocks.
Power of progress: remember progress breeds motivation. Continually checking in to see the small steps made is a powerful personal motivator vs focussing on all the work we still need to do to complete our goal.
Gamification: nothing better than a 'scoreboard’ to foster a little competitive, fun and inspire everyone as a team to get off their butt and do the work.
Surrounding yourself with the right people: having a team of like-minded people to share your journey with, support each other and be each others cheerleader is hugely important. Having a mentor (or in our case trainer) to spur you on and keep you on track, especially when you start to lose mojo or momentum.
What do you want to achieve in 2019?
Start thinking about it now and more importantly, start putting the 5 principles into place so that you can get what you really want and deserve. Why not make 2019 your best year yet!
“Do or do not, there is no try!” Master Yoda
Until next time!
BLYTHE ROWE & Her Life on Heels.
The founder and director of Human Incite, is widely recognised for her passion, energy and her ability to shake things up. Blythe is brilliant at revving-up productivity and performance in organisations. She is on a mission to rid our workplaces of toxic behaviours, build meaningful relationships, personally and professionally and create workplaces worth belonging. Her enthusiasm simply is infectious!