Setting yourself a big picture goal is a great place to start if you want to get fit however it is just that, a start. The down side of big picture goals is that they can seem too big and therefore unattainable. By creating smaller goals, you can create a path to achieve your end goal. This also acts as great tool to give meaning to your training. We’ve all been there, it’s a choice between the sofa and the gym, and if you miss one session it won’t make any difference. Smaller goals will also give direction and purpose to your training.


When setting yourself goals, a useful technique that you can use is SMART.


Specific - Focus on the details (look to ‘lose weight’ rather than to ‘lose 2 stone’)
Measurable - Can you measure the activity? 5 times, 10 times, within 1 minute and so on
Attainable - Are your goals reasonable? (Don’t ask yourself to achieve Olympic records)
Realistic - Is your goal something that you are willing and able to achieve?
Timed - Put a time scale in place (lose 2 stone in 3 months)


By using SMART, it helps you to focus on the details of what you want to achieve and how to achieve them.


This isn’t the only way of setting goals but it has proven useful over the years. If you don’t like following acronyms, have a look a the list below:

• Put it in writing
• Use Positive Statements (avoid the word “Don’t”)
• Be Precise
• Set small steps to on the way to the end result
• Prioritise your steps (what’s more important?)

It doesn’t really matter how you set your goals as long as you set them. The important fact is that you set the goals and that in itself brings you closer to achieving them.