Count Down To 2007 Fitness Success And Keep Your Motivation Drive Alive
There are many fantastic ways to get focused and motivated, but often the most difficult thing to do is keep that drive and ambition alive for more than a few weeks and see your goal through to completion. Setting goals in writing is an essential step to success, but how do you stay focused on them? One technique I have used ever since my very first bodybuilding competition 18 years ago, is…
The “contest countdown calendar.”
I have used it ever since, through 28 competitions and it will work for you too, for any fitness goal. I purchase a desk or wall calendar - the type that shows each week stretching horizontally across the page with an open block of space for each day (or I make one on my computer in word or excel). After I set my goal and place a deadline on it, I do NOT stop there. I take out my calendar and start counting backwards from my target goal deadline to the present day. T-minus 117 days…. T-minus 116 days… T-minus 115 days…. I also fill in my workouts for the entire 3-4 month period, which is the typical length I allow for my mid-range goals like contest prep. you would be shocked - pleasantly so - just how focused this keeps you. Even better still, you get MORE and MORE motivated with each passing day you countdown because the deadline is getting closer Deadlines are absolutely critical to your success. Little gets done without deadlines. There is a saying in management and psychology that “work will always expand to fill the time allowed for it’s completion.” Remember term papers in school? when you were given a term paper assignment and you had the entire semeseter to do it, did you run home that first night and get crankin on it? How about after a week? two weeks? A month? TWO MONTHS? probably not, eh? If youre like most people, you put it off until the last minute and you barely got it turned in on time. In fact, there are always a few people who pull all nighters the night before! alas, the power of the deadline! In your fitness endeavors, if you dont have IMPENDING deadlines that give you that twinge in your stomach that says “take action now, or else!” then you find it very easy to say to yourself, ’ I have plenty of time so this one cheat meal doesnt matter… it doesnt make much difference at this point if I skip this one workout… I have time to make it up…” And then, just like the term paper, you are scrambling at the last minute to reach your weight goal. But in the case of your body, the consequences are more severe and painful than just a bad grade or late penalty. Inevitably, you succumb to crash dieting and overtraining or other unhealthy fast-weight-loss madness, which eats up your own muscle like a hungry cannibal and sends you spiraling into the dark pit of metabolic damage and the inevitable plateau and weight gain that follow.But the solution is so simple: Count your way down to success!
Don’t stop with setting goals. Put deadlines on your goals. then put your goal countdown on paper, review your goals every single day, AND know, every single day, how many days there are until your target goal date. You will stay more consciously focused and even better, your unconscious mind will go to work for you in keeping you motivated, on track, and on schedule. You’ll come in for a landing on your goal deadline date like an F-16 landing on an aircraft carrier.
I just did my countdown calendar earlier this week… T minus 117 days til my next bodybuilding competition, and thanks to this simple but powerful technique, I’m already focused like a laser beam and have been making steady progress without so much as a hiccup… Put this simple tip into use today… You will be VERY pleased with the results. Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCSAuthor, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle
www.BurnTheFat.com
www.burnthefatinnercircle.com
12 January, 2007 posted in Mind & Motivation
Comments
This is great. And works for other goals, too. Like writing, for example. Love this idea and am going to implement it for my own fitness goals this year. Thank you!
Posted by: Lisa | January 15, 2007 5:27 PM
Tom, what a marvellous idea. Have put on my calendar 3 kgs off B4 the end of January. Also joined Mall Walking this a.m. - 1 hour of exercise and walk in our local shopping centre.
Thank you for your inspiration. A Happy New
Year, and good luck with your contest.
Regards, Patricia
Posted by: Patricia | January 15, 2007 8:08 PM
I think the countdown calendar is a great idea! I'm doing my cutoff date for 4/15, which gives me 90 days to achieve where I know I'll be happy with my body. Thanks for the excellent idea!
Posted by: Elaine | January 15, 2007 9:42 PM
yes i have read your book about three times!
each time i read i learn more. bottom line makes things easier. get your mind focus eat every three hr. protein + complex carb. cardio + weight training. This all goes together or else you will take a long time to see results.
very important for me is meal frequency too.
Ireally appreciate you and i am spreading the news. I tell people all the time about you.i am 47 and i look good.trying to get more defined and you have showed me how
thank you tom. too many lies out there. Natural is the only way to go
Posted by: vincent witter | January 16, 2007 12:22 AM
This is just wonderful,this is sucha great idea,i tried a million of things but never thought about this one. You saved my life,because from now am considering myself successful Thank you again
Posted by: danielle | January 16, 2007 5:00 AM
Great idea. Thanks so much for the tip I will be using this to also assist my daughter through her O levels
Posted by: lyn | January 16, 2007 7:27 AM
Hi to everybody out there who tries to keep in shape while aging;
As we all know staying in shape is not easy and it seems by the turn of the year the billion-dollar diet-industry has just found another miracle pill they are trying to sell in the new year. I was always tempted to try one of those pills and miraculously lose all the weight I have put on over Christmas or the dark, cold winter months for that matter.
However, after reading Tom's book, I was convinced of the fact, which I already knew deep down inside, that nothing works but clean eating and honesty towards yourself. And everytime I see yet another ad for dietpills, I remind myself that they are just another scam.
Thank you Tom for keeping my hard-earned money in my wallet.
PS: This is a great idea to use a project calendar. Why did I not think about this?? :)
Posted by: Liz | January 16, 2007 1:12 PM
Tom , I dont know where to begin. Thank you for BTF. It has changed my life. The first thing I did was stop after chapter 1 and wrote my goals down. I read them everyday Morning , noon and night. I have dropped 21 pounds and 2 inches in my waist. "I am so Happy and Thankful now That I am: Excersising everday and for Tom Venuto.
The project calender is a great idea. I cant wait to implement it this evening.
Thank You TOM !!!!
Posted by: Dale Reutter | January 16, 2007 2:43 PM
Thank you Tom, I have to let you know that I have really enjoyed your articles. Agnes
Posted by: Agnes | January 17, 2007 11:23 AM
Simple yet very effective.since oct. you have been guiding and helping me to become fit. I started the programme with 72 kg iam lot more fitter now and never weighed myself.The only thing I know is that I feel much healthier and energetic and ofcourse all those positive comments i get everyday.
well this tip is going to take me through my post graduation and my son's o-levels.Thank you Tom.
Posted by: savitha krishnan | January 20, 2007 7:35 PM
Hi Tom,
such a great Idea!
I agree in everything but I'm so scared to even say that I'll do something since I always fail.
I hope this time I'll finally realize my dream.
Thanks Maria
Posted by: mariaha | January 29, 2007 10:59 PM
Nice idea Tom .I am going to try it.My obliquies are giving me a bad time.
Regards
Abhijitm
Posted by: AbhijitMMungekar | March 17, 2007 6:22 AM