In fourteen years of marriage, the moments that strengthened us most were the times we worked toward a shared goal. Early on we decided our priority was for me to stay home with our children. That required a major career shift for my husband and a return to school. He began prerequisites at age 33 while I pushed my own career forward to support our investment in the future. Those years were among the hardest we’ve faced. When our oldest approached five and our second child arrived, we took a leap together and moved to where the best opportunity for his career existed. Not every goal has to be this large or intimidating, but whether big or small, goals share common elements that help you reach the finish line.
What goals are you pursuing? Are your goals energizing you and moving you forward?
A goal is often described as a dream with a deadline. Dreams give you excitement about the future, but without a clear action plan they remain elusive. Are you taking concrete steps to accomplish the goals you set for yourself?
Below are practical considerations to guide your journey:
- Define Your Goal
- Be Willing To Adjust
- Stay the Path
DEFINING YOUR GOAL
Begin by asking: what exactly do I want? If you don’t clearly define the target you’re working toward, it’s easy to lose focus, misjudge progress, and become discouraged. Use a SMART framework to shape meaningful, trackable goals:
Specific: What precisely do I want to accomplish?
Measurable: How will I quantify progress and success? If you can’t measure it tangibly, satisfaction is unlikely.
Attainable: Can I reach this goal with the resources and effort I’m prepared to invest?
Realistic: Am I honest about my limitations and what’s feasible for me?
Timely: What is the timeline for achieving this goal? For longer goals, establish checkpoints to evaluate progress and celebrate milestones.
Have you applied these principles while working with Stay Fit Mom? How do you measure success? Can you reach your goal with the investment you’re willing to make? Are your goals both personal and achievable? Have you set a timeline with checkpoints that allow you to review and celebrate progress?
BE WILLING TO ADJUST
Once your goal is defined and trackable, view the journey as a road that can have smooth stretches, slow segments, and occasional detours. As my husband finished prerequisites, he chose a different program than we’d initially targeted because new information revealed a better route. We stayed committed to our objective while adjusting our path.
Are you paying attention to the road signs as you work toward your goal, or are you so focused on one approach that you miss better options? Sometimes day-to-day routines blind us to what we’re truly aiming for.
For example, are you fixated on a specific number on the scale while overlooking improvements in body composition and strength that would make you look and feel better than that “magic number” ever could?
STAY THE PATH
Most worthwhile endeavors are hard. Goals rarely come easily. Along the way you may drift, get distracted, or face outside influences that push you off course. When you notice you’ve wandered, take control of what you can, make the next right decision, and return to the path.
Some weeks tracking macros and sticking to a plan is simple; other weeks are harder—date nights, family events, busy schedules, work stress, vacations, or even global challenges can knock you off track. If you have a rough week and feel the bumps reminding you to get back on course, remember what you’re working toward and choose the next right action.
As the line from A League of Their Own reminds us, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard…that’s what makes it great.” My husband and I often reflect on that difficult season while he returned to school; despite the struggle, finishing made the result far sweeter.
Put a deadline on your dreams and work to achieve them. You are capable of hard, remarkable things.
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