Persistence—that drive to keep going, despite challenges or setbacks—is indeed the “secret sauce” for success. But how do you develop persistence, especially when it comes to achieving your fitness goals? Here are four of our top recommendations.
Start your efforts small and build on them gradually. When we’re motivated to start pursuing our goals, it’s tempting to go all-in at full speed. However, that could lead to frustration, burnout, or injury that knocks you off course.
For that reason, it’s better to figure out how to keep your motivation high without overextending yourself at the outset. Begin your activity with a realistic sense of what you can accomplish, pursue those plans with commitment, and scale those plans upward as you progress. For example: if you’ve just started jogging, your level of fitness may not allow you to safely log more than around 10 minutes on the treadmill at a time. But in six weeks, you may be able to jog a full mile if you work at it. Your successes will inspire your increased activity, and the results are your reward!
Maintain an unstoppable mindset. Accept that every journey has its ups, downs, and plateaus. Circumstances may get in the way, or you might lose some of the enthusiasm and energy you had at the outset. But those aren’t reasons to stop. Acknowledge potential challenges, make any necessary adjustments, remind yourself of all the reasons you initially established your goals, and keep pressing forward. As often as you need, tell yourself: “I’ve got this.” (We know you do!)
Develop consistency. Set appointments for yourself in your weekly calendar and take those times as seriously as you’d take any meeting or event. If you find that a particular day or time isn’t working for you, be sure to address that sooner rather than later by figuring out what will work best for you. Having a set time that you attend Group Exercise classes can also help build even more consistency and accountability into your routine.
And to help circumvent the inevitability of interruptions to your schedule, decide ahead of time: what will I do if I can’t make it to my “appointment”? If, for example, another commitment conflicts with your regular Thursday evening class, choose a different class that week, or carve out some time in the morning to get in a workout before the rest of your day gets rolling.
Connect with your community. Peek into any one of our group exercise classes, and you’ll see hard work… but you’ll also hear words (or cheers!) of encouragement, smiles, supportive behaviors, and—at the end—collegial conversations. Even in our virtual classes, people love seeing their fellow “regulars” on screen and connecting with a few words of encouragement after the class is through. Knowing that someone’s counting on you to show up can be a huge motivator!
There you have it: four ways you can stay persistent and see yourself through to the achievement of your fitness goals.
Need guidance, support, and accountability? Work with one of our Certified Personal Trainers, who can give you individualized attention. Or try out a small-group training experience, where you can work your fitness goals, in a setting that emphasizes proper fitness form & function, teamwork, and determination to reach your goals… together.