Everyone has a starting line at some point in their life. Starting points are often one of the most difficult places to get to, as there are countless obstacles that get in the way. Family, work, and stress all add up to mountains that seem impossible to climb. Finding the courage and strength to get started on accomplishing your dreams takes a lot of work. Whatever your goal may be, building a foundation that will support you over a lifetime is essential to success.
Have A Plan
As you start to prepare for your journey, remember that a “goal without a plan is just a wish.”
A plan involves taking all the necessary steps to give you the best opportunity for success. Start with a specific short term and long term goal. By setting a goal, it is much easier to start performing consistent habits to get you to that goal, even when you feel unmotivated. Next, don’t plan too far out. 1-2 weeks at a time is a great way to assess how your body is adapting to the activity or habit that you have started. There will always be peaks and valleys throughout this process, so it is best to conquer them one at a time in order to stay the course. Finally, make sure you are taking into account the amount of time that you have to dedicate to whatever your starting line may be. Remember that sleep, work, family, and other life challenges all play a role in how your body and mind adapt. And, if you need help creating a plan, setting goals and taking the first step we suggest working with a run coach right away. A good run coach can help you with the challenges of getting started.
Find A Support Team
A support team involves multiple individuals that can help you get to your starting line. These include family, your training partner, and run coach. Family helps support all aspects of life and having them for support and motivation is critical for achieving balance. Having training partners supporting you helps you stay accountable during your pursuits. It is easier to get out of bed at 5:00 am when you know you’re going to meet a friend. Also, having a knowledgeable run coach can be an invaluable tool to starting out. One of the hardest aspects of training is knowing what to do and when to do it. Most often people start out doing too much, too fast, too soon. A run coach can be a great aid in making sure that you can manageably pursue your goals, leading to achievement.
Celebrate the Victories
There will always be failures. Whether it is a missed workout, a bad week, or an injury. It is important to know that this happens to everyone. Take time to relish in the little accomplishments. For example, having a positive mindset when you decide to start or finish a workout is essential to building up your mental victories. The more you can focus on the positives rather than the negatives, the more motivated you will be to stay on course. A great tool to use is a gratitude or positivity journal. By reflecting on your victories each day, you will be encouraged to find the critical points that encourage you to focus on the good instead of the bad. Remember, if you are working with a run coach, they should celebrate the small and bigs wins with you.
No matter what your goal is, or where you are in finding your starting line, there is always someone out there cheering you on. Keeping in mind that the first steps are often the hardest, go find that fire and strength to begin your journey!