2020 is here and in January we are many who want to find our way back to some kind of exercise routine after Christmas and New Year holidays and for some, the new year is a fresh start to get started with various activities related to training, health and well-being.

We all know that New Year's resolutions tend to work less well, that instead of pepping, they can make you feel that you are failing or not doing enough. A better and more genuine way to find motivation and inspiration to take care of both body and soul is to set different goals. Importantly, these goals are tailored to you and your needs, that it is reasonable and loving.

Here are four tips on how to set goals and how to reach them:

1. Set reasonable goals

A first step to setting goals that you will achieve is that goals are reasonable both in terms of time and physicality. If you had a hard time getting away and working out once a week last year then it's not likely that you'll get away four times a week this year. Then it is better to set the goal to train once a week and then make sure that time happens.

2. Set milestones

A goal can be specific, like running the mile at a certain time or lowering your handicap in golf or going on a training trip and it can also be more general, like becoming more mobile, getting stronger or feeling better. Whether your goal is more general or specific, it's a good idea to set milestones for how to achieve your goal. If you want to be more mobile, you may have as a goal to go to yoga once a week. If you want to lower your handicap in golf, you may have a goal to take a number of golf lessons during the year.

3. Focus on things that make you feel good and be happy by

No, not everything can be easy and fun in life but there is a better chance that the training will happen if you like the activity you are doing. If you find it boring to go to the gym so skip it, there are many other ways to work out! Take the time to test new forms of training to find the right shape for you. And remember that sometimes we have to give a few chances before we can say if it was something we liked or not!

4. Set goals that you can follow

Setting goals without being able to follow them over time can be motivating, by noting your training sessions, results and successes you have something to go back to and a basis to assess whether you reached your goals at the end of the year. Take notes, use apps, or similar to follow your training journey.

Whatever we want to be good at or achieve, we have to spend time and energy on. The key word for achieving their goals is discipline. To do what you decided on even on the days it feels a bit grudzy. That said, it's also important not to catapult down on yourself on the days you didn't get off to training. Instead, put that energy into getting away next time.

Last but not least, don't forget to have fun along the way!

 

Good luck! :)