Announcing the “Goal Setting” Blog Contest
December is a great time of year, for at least 3 reasons.
First, the opportunity to enjoy the Holidays with family and friends. I hope everyone reading this gets to do that in some form or fashion.
Second, you can reflect on the events that took place in your life over past year. Hopefully this will be an enjoyable activity for you, but in any case it is definitely an opportunity for a learning experience.
As you reflect back over 2009, ask yourself 2 questions: What did I do right? What would I have done differently?
The answers to both these questions are inherently positive. Reflecting on what you did right will cause you to feel good about it, and result in an increase in self-confidence and self-esteem. Thinking about what you would have done differently will help you correct course in the future and enable you to become more effective in those areas. Those are good things, which lead us to the third reason I like December-
It is the perfect time for setting goals for the coming year.
Humans are goal-seeking beings by nature. We all operate most effectively when we are working towards some goal that excites us, and that is specific and measurable.
Another thing that helps is accountability. If you share your goal with people you like and respect, you create an atmosphere of expectation that will help push you along the path to your goal when the going gets a little tough, which it inevitably will. Accountability helps foster the “no matter what” attitude which is an essential component of commitment to a goal. If you tell somebody you like and respect that you’re going to do it, you open the door for their help and encouragement. You create what I call a “dog help dog” world, as opposed to the “dog eat dog” world that each of us unfortunately encounters regularly.
With this in mind, I have decided to run a Blog Contest, starting today and ending on Monday, January 4th. To enter you have to do 2 things:
1. Answer this 2-part question: What are my training goals for 2010, and why are they important to me?
2. Post your answer on this blog.
All entries will receive 2 things-first, accountability. You will be announcing your goal to the rest of The Nation, and doing so will allow us the opportunity to help and encourage you toward it’s attainment. Dog help dog.
Second, every entry will receive Chapter One of my e-book “High Intensity Muscle Building”, which is entitled “The Power of Commitment”. I will send it to you via e-mail after the entry deadline (Thursday December 24th).
Third, the best entry, as judged by my wife and I, will receive the entire High Intensity Muscle Building program, a $291 value, which includes:
- The e-book “High Intensity Muscle Building”, including printable forms and workout cards
- The bonus e-book “The High Intensity Muscle Building Nutrition Guide”
- One year subscription to ”The High Intensity Nation E-Newsletter”
- Unlimited access to the “High Intensity Nation Video Vault”
I’ll go first, to give myself accountability, and to give you an example of how to do this. This is just an example. Your goals should reflect what is important to you based on your training experience. I’m in my fifties and have been training for 37 years, so I’m not looking to double my strength or add 25 pounds of muscle at this point. But you might be, and if you are that’s fine, write it down. My intention is to keep my body strong, functional and looking good by training consistently, and my goals reflect that. So here’s mine:
“My training goal for 2010 is to perform 72 workouts this year (3 every 2 weeks, with 4 weeks off) with a high level of intensity, and post every workout I do for the High Intensity Nation to see. This goal is important to me because it will keep me strong and healthy, and give me a chance to inspire other people to train hard and achieve their training goals.”
So take some time to reflect on the past year, set your training goals for 2010, and post them here (go to “Leave a comment”, below) so we can all help each other-and to win all that cool stuff.
Commit to high achievement,
Dave Durell, MS, CCS, PTA
Author of High Intensity Muscle Building
My fitness goals for 2010 are to put on muscle, loose fat, and get as healthy as possible with respects to the upcoming Spartan Training. Why is this important to me? First of all, I love it! Secondly, our bodies are a temple. We can fill them with good things or we can fill them with junk. I choose good things, namely my personal Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Without Him I am not. My hope is that He will reveal Himself to each and every one of you so that you might experience His undefinable grace.
My numerical goals are 200 lbs lean mass in 2010, with personal record breaking endurance, speed, and strength. By 2011, I should have tripled my fitness, at least. Who will witness my progress? I challenge you all to hold each other accountable in this. Who will join Dave, Patty, and the rest of us? Who will try High Intesity Training, this year, for a change?
My fitness goals in 2010 are to improve my diet, increase lean body mass and increase overall strength and conditioning in preparation for my second marathon in as many years.
In an effort to remain active through the L-L-L-long Wisconsin winters I have learned to commit to goals which will challenge my fitness limits, be an example to my children in their fitness and to use the marathon as a tool for helping others through humanitarian relief organizations like WorldVision, whom I have partnered with this year in raising funds for their mission. Since I am running, it must be with a purpose. Check out Hebrews 12:11-13 if your interested.
I look forward to being held accountable to my commitment through this post, my commitment to WorldVision, my training partners at the Green Bay Cellcom Marathon on May 16, 2009 and the from the High Intensity Nation.