#27: Finding Your Why

Hey friends,

You guys found out last week that I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions and that I think setting monthly goals is superior for actually finding success.

As we look towards the New Year, I want to talk about finding meaning behind your fitness goals. Regardless of how you’re setting your goals, it’s difficult to reach them if you don’t have a meaningful “why” behind the reason you want to reach them.

Weekly Action Point

As promised last week, for this week’s action point we’re going to actually think about setting a goal for January.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “dream big”.

Well, when thinking about your “monthly resolution” for January, I want you to think the exact opposite.

The goal should be something small that will help you move in the right direction.

Make it a simple goal that you can actually achieve.

Some examples:

• Stetching 2 times per week for 10 minutes

• Waking up 10 mins earlier to do breathwork

• Eating 1 extra serving of vegatables daily

• Walking for 5-10 minutes after each meal

I want you to actually take some time to think of something small that you want to focus on in January, and then write it down in your notes app to help with accountability.

Or if you want, my number is (763) 592-9585. I would love for you to text me what you are trying to achieve. I believe writing something down and/or telling someone increases the chance that you actually do it.

If you’re curious, my January goal is having a 10 minute mobilty session 3 times per week.

Finding your why

People get so focused on their goals that they forget why they even set them in the first place.

They want to lose the weight or build the muscle. Maybe they want to be able to run farther, improve mobility, or get abs.

But why?

It’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. What does achieving your goal do for you?

I’m a believer in finding a “why” before you even think about setting your goals. What things in life are important to you, and how can you use fitness to enhance to quality of your life?

Sorry to break it to you, but losing 10 pounds won’t make you happier or increase your satisfaction in life.

Many people think that once they achieve something, their life will be better than it currently is.

In my opinion, having a “why” is essential to providing meaning to your fitness journey and will greatly increase your chances of succeeding in the long term.

Every person’s “why” will look different. It doesn’t have to be anything revolutionary, but I wanted to discuss it as a reminder that it’s something you should be thinking about.

For example, here is an idea of what my “why” is: living a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly and making positive food choices allows me to be a happier person with more energy. This allows me to bring more positivity to everything I do, which I believe helps me a better friend, son, employee, (future) husband/father, etc.

Keeping this in mind allows me to stay consistent in the long term.

“Why” statements like this give far more meaning than saying “I want to lose 10 pounds” or “I want abs”.

Those are completely fine goals to have. But finding your “why” before thinking about your goals will improve your consistency in the long term, and as a result you’ll be more likely to achieve those goals along the way.

What are you trying to achieve, and why do you care to achieve it?

As you know, fitness is tough. Results take loads of effort and long periods of time. It can be discouraging.

But a new year is an awesome time to pause and reflect on these things and figure out why you care about your fitness.

Ben’s Best

🍌 Smoothie recipe I’ve been loving recently:

1 banana
1 cup of frozen mixed berries
100g of plain nonfat greek yogurt
15 g of PB2 peanut butter powder
½ cup of almond milk

🥣 Chocolate overnight oats recipe:
*It’s the second video on this post

🎙️Podcast I loved this week:

• Mind Pump 2494: Three Reasons Why Staying In Shape Is Easier Than Getting Into Shape

That’s all I have for this week. Enjoy the week, and happy holidays!

Remember to enjoy a Christmas cookie (or a couple) guilt free. 🙂 

Ben