Mapping out goals is crucial to personal & professional achievement

Do you have desires but find yourself self-sabotaging your success by not following through? 

The main 2 reasons goals are not realised are:

1) no clear roadmap for success

2) no commitment to the roadmap

Designing a roadmap to achieve your desires is extremely important, yet is often not undertaken, because it takes time. 

Let's take a common goal: weightloss/fitness. 

Most people who want to lose weight, but do not take the time to map out exactly what they have to do & how these requirements can fit in with current personal and professional commitments. So, even if they purchase a good plan (eg a weightloss program) they have not taken the time to adjust the program to make sure the requirements are achievable in view of current life commitments to work, home life, family and friends.

Another common example is in business. Many individuals have a desire to start a new business venture but do not take adequate time to write out and stick to a regularly updated business plan. They also do not take time to think about short/medium/long term goals and how these are going to be achieved - devising a plan for current gaps & business requirements in order to realise their dreams.

The second aspect - commitment is even more vital.

So often people say they want to achieve a goal but are not fully committed to it. In their heirachy of importance, they think it's up the top, but in reality the goal regularly takes a back seat to other priorities. In such instances individuals need to spend time thinking about whether the goal really is that important to them right now - in view of other commitments that continue to take precedent. If they don't take time to do this, they regularly feel depressed about not achieving a currently unrealistic goal. However, if they take time to really assess their level of commitment, they can discuss their desires with others in their life and accommodate requests accordingly.

It's easy to look at other successful people who have what you want and feel sad about your lack of success. However most of the time there has been planning and commitment behind their successes & this part is often forgotten. 

Take the time to map out your goals and then commit to each stage of your journey, so you can live in the moment & feel good about the fact that each step you commit to take along your journey takes you one step closer to your goals.

To find out How to improve your self esteem Click on this link, or visit www.selfesteemonline.com.au 

Is less exercise better for your health

Every day it seems there is new research into what type of physical activity is best for our health and to keep us in best shape. Most recent research suggests shorter high-intensity workouts are better for our overall health (eg for lowering cholesterol) compared to long distance endurance exercise. 

In a Canadian study by Little et al (2010) investigating the effects of high intensity shorter workouts, researchers were able to show the incredible benefits of shorter, high-intensity exercise. They showed that 10 one-minute intervals of strenuous exercise led to the same changes within muscle cells as a 90 minute bike ride (ridden at moderate intensity). This research was consistent with other studies demonstrating similar comparative results. So, when it comes to maintaining your health, short-intense workouts may be the go.

The only issue with these shorter workouts is they are not as likely to result in weight loss as longer exercise programs. However, when it comes to weightloss a lot of research now suggests healthy eating is the key. Simply paying attention to your food consumption habits and avoiding processed foods as much as possible, will make a big difference to your waistline.

Then there is the question of mood benefits. A study conducted by O'Halloran et al, (2004) demonstrated most mood improvements in runners was not detectable until 25-40 minutes into a run when participantsreported feeling less tense, more clearheaded, less depressed and more energetic.

Personally, I find music and high intensity exercise are the biggest factors when it comes to boosting mood during physical activity. Research shows when music is played at a the perfect volume it improves mood. Couple this with high intensity exercise and low processed eating you have a great formula for quick-fix mood benefits and sustainable weightloss.

So, maybe it's time to re-think your physical activity habits and do some research into more efficient and effective exercise programs that will give you back more time and will actually increase your overall health.

For more inspiration and support, visit Happy Life at: www.happylife.net.au

References

O'Halloran, P.D., Murphy, G., & Webster, K.E. (2004). Mood during a 60-minute treadmill run: Timing and type of mood change. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 35(4), 309-327.

Little, J.P., Safdar, A., Wilkin, G.P., Tarnopolsky, M.A., & Gibala, M.J. (2010). A practical model of low-volume high-intensity interval training induces mitochondrial biogenesis in human skeletal muscle: potential mechanisms. Journal of Physiology, 588, 1012-22.

Why do you really want be healthy or lose weight?

It's very interesting to note the magnitude of weight loss products available on the market, yet more and more adults, adolescents and children are struggling with weight gain. So, what's missing?? There must be a piece of the puzzle missing.

Why does it seem to be so easy for some & yet so hard for others to stick to a balanced diet and fitness regimen? Those who find it easy may assume it's just as simple as making a decision to be fit and healthy, but this is not accurate. Often there are various underlying issues which make is much harder for some to achieve their health and fitness goals. I have yet to meet someone who didn't reach their goals because they were lazy!

What's the secret then to becoming a healthy individual: the answer lies in the reasons behind deciding to be healthy. When you're trying to shift behaviour, it's not enough to want it. It has to be imperative and there must be a significant consequence to not engaging in the desired behaviours that lead to heathy living. In other words you must feel that you have no choice - but change!

Once you have reached this point, then you can start to focus on how great you feel - as a way of sustaining motivation, because by this point it has become a way of life. At this habit stage, the routine if healthy living becomes automatic and enjoyable.

The secret thus lies in finding your crunch point. Figuring out - What's going to happen to you if you don't change your behavior today? You may take time to discover your drive. However, if you really want to live a long and successful life, you owe it to yourself to stop looking in envy at other people who are leading the life you really believe you should be living and then go for it.

Start thinking about the cost of living an unhealthy life in terms of the following:

-) money (how much do you end up spending on medical & alternative therapy trying to undo the damage you've caused by your unhealthy lifestyle?)

-) work (how many promotions are going to pass you by as a result of your lack of energy and lack of mental clarity?)

-) love life (how many potential and current partners are you going to self sabotage as a result of lacking in confidence)

-) health (how sick do you have to become before it really matters?)

... And so on

The more you focus your attention here, the more weight you will give to your reasons for changing your lifestyle. 

You owe it to yourself to life your best life & to live a long, happy & successful life

To find more inspiration visit Happy life at: www.happylife.net.au or www.helpformums.com