It's Going to Take a Little Longer!
I love a goal! I love crossing goals off my to-do list. What I don’t love? When I don’t meet my goal on the timeline I expect! It happens and more often than not. It doesn’t mean I’ve failed or I should give up, though. It just means it’s going to take a little longer.
When I opened my first Pilates studio in Nashville, I meet with many experts in a variety of fields to learn and garner their best advice for me as a new business owner and entrepreneur. I found it particularly helpful to talk to people who’s businesses were different than mine because I knew Pilates and knew what I wanted to do there. I didn’t necessarily know PR or business management or staffing. One of the best pieces of advice I received was from the head of an advertising agency in Nashville. “Set a goal, create a timeline for the goal, and then realize your success may be just passed the timeline. Don’t throw in the towel if you aren’t where you want to be in a year or two years because you may be there in a year and a half or two years and 3 months.” I held on to that nugget of information. Each month as I looked at my financials and looked at my attendance I would measure this against my goal. Was I getting closer - yes! Was I there yet - no!
Each month I did the same check. I was seeing some success but it was creeping along not skyrocketing. My big goals were at my two-year mark. I didn’t hit it. I wasn’t far off but still, I wasn’t where I had hoped I would be two years in. I remembered the wise words my mentor told me. It’s going to take longer don’t give up because success may be right around the corner. He was right! By two years and two months, I hit that goal and continued to climb. Thank goodness I didn’t throw in the towel!
I believe this often happens with our fitness and weight-loss goals. We set a goal - I am going to be fit and fit in this dress by Keeneland! We work hard. We try to eat right. We do our regular Pilates and we start to see changes in our body. Hoorah! Keeneland comes around and that dress fits better but is still kind of snug. All our efforts didn’t pay off … or did they? Of course they did - your finish line is just a little farther out. Your body doesn’t understand the importance of a specific date. Your body does understand change takes time. Hormones and plateaus happen along the way. Success in fitness and weight loss - especially for women - is not a straight line. That goal is around the corner - don’t throw in the towel. The fact that you have made progress is a sure sign you are on the right path.
When you realize it’s going to take longer - it’s not a time to be discouraged. There wasn’t science behind the date you picked - it was your best guess or oftentimes wishful thinking. If we could accurately predict our goal achievement date every time, I’m pretty sure we’d also be accurately picking lottery numbers and winning horses and pretty highly sought after!
Next time you set a goal - have a timeline but ask yourself some questions. What am I basing this timeline on? Is it just the time I’d like to accomplish the goal or is it realistic? What am I going to do to reach that goal and will I be consistently working towards it? If I don’t make my goal - what are some signs I’m on the right path?
I recently did the UK Bod Pod and now have some new goals for myself associated with my results. Are they realistic? I don’t know but I do know I am going to recheck in a couple of months. If I’ve made progress - then I will know I am going in the right direction!