In our quest to find out how some of leaders in their field are focussing themselves on their goals and on coming out of the starting blocks fast in 2009...
John Shackleton talks about some health and fitness goals for the year
Unlike the professional athletes we don’t have an Olympic final to aim at in a few years time so we can easily procrastinate on our health and fitness goals with statements like: “I’ll start my diet tomorrow” or “One day without exercising won’t make a difference”. Unfortunately one day turns into two and then into a week and before you know it, we’ve lost all momentum and have to start all over again.
I have a few simple rules to kick-start health with my diet and exercise goals:
1. Have an extremely specific goal. What will you achieve, by when and how will you measure that achievement? How will you reward yourself when you get there and what price will you pay if you fail?
2. On Sunday night make a training plan for the week. How many days will you exercise and for how long each day? Which days will you have off and what else will you do to aid your recovery?
3. Every morning make an eating plan for the day. Where and when will you eat your meals and what exactly will you consume? What snacks are you going to eat between meals and how much water will you drink today?
4. Write down a drinking plan for the week. Which days will you consume alcohol and what will your weekly total be?
5. Be nice to yourself. If you eat or drink too much or you miss a training session then don’t quit or beat yourself up. Just sit down with your plan and work out if and when you can make up the difference later in the week.
6. Keep a record of everything you do. Write down everything you eat and drink and keep a training log including distances and times achieved. Reading this log can be the most motivational thing to do when things are getting tough and your goals seem to be slipping away.
Success in anything doesn’t come from luck or talent. It will come to those who plan their work and then work their plan.
John is a professional speaker and author of Life is for Living
Gray Bartlett’s Philosophy is to focus on the simple things:
1. Look in the mirror and declare 2009 your year- your attitude will determine how you succeed in times of feast or famine.
2. Eat fresh foods and exercise simply but regularly
3. Renew your passion for leisure activities in your life- it will inspire and refresh you. ( I choose music)
4. Connect with people and companies you truly believe in and be vocal about your support for them
5. Mix with lots of different people to help you get creative in your thinking- get out of your rut.
6. First believe in what you are doing – then get up out of your seat and create action.
7. Don’t be afraid to be controversial
Gray is an entrepreneur, director of 5 companies and star-finder / career creator of Hayley Westenra, Elizabeth Marvelly, Yulia, Will Martin, Annabel Fay and Ben Morrison