Adjust your focus and set sail for your goals

Three frogs are sitting on a bridge. Two decide to jump in the river. 

How many are left on the bridge?

No it's not a trick question as such - but even I got it wrong.

The answer is three. You see the frogs only decided to jump in. They didn't actually 'jump' in.

So you may think what relevance this has to anything. Well, it relates to focus. If you answered one, you were focusing on the wrong part of the question.

How many of you out there have set goals, but don't seem to be getting anywhere near them? How many of you have 'decided' your going to get stronger, or decided you are going to get fitter or eat healthier?

Compare that to how many of you 'are' getting fitter, stronger or stepping towards your goals? The answer lies in your focus.

If you go about attaining your goals putting your effort into the wrong things you will never obtain what it is you are working for.

People put the effort in. I can't complain - they do (in the hours I see them during the week) everything asked of them. But it's what happens during the rest of the week that makes the real difference. Loose focus and progress will never be made.

So if your trying to increase your fitness, and you rock up to the gym three to five times a week, give 100% and feel that you are not getting anywhere, maybe you should look and what your doing in your time away from the gym.

Are you staying focused and eating the best you possibly can, drinking plenty of water, sleeping 8+ hours a night and not binging at the weekend?

Now be honest...

And don't tell me it's not possible, if you can find time to 'focus' on watching Breaking Bad then you can find time to do some simple meal prep or get an extra hours sleep.

OK, so what if you are lacking focus, and you just really don't know where to start?

I find the best thing to do is look at your goal and break it down. Write down what is needed to get you there. This is all the things you think would make you achieve that goal. It may even be things that your not willing to do.

Once you have a list pick out a couple of things that you feel confident you could do from the list. I'm talking on a scale of zero to ten (with ten being 100% you can do that habit 24/7) pick something you feel that you are at a nine or ten on - any less and it won't stick.

Also, don't pick more than a couple-we need to focus remember! Once you have your tasks, give them a high priority in your life - make sure that 99% of the time you are focusing on those things.

Slowly, over time these tasks will become easier and you can assign yourself new ones. Before you know it you will be on that road and speeding 'legally' towards your goal.

Beth Hoggarth Personal Training