by Clarissa Hartley

What truly ignites the flame within you to commit to a consistent exercise routine? Is it the thrilling spirit of adventure, the satisfaction of surpassing your own limitations, the yearning to maximize your potential, or the dread of declining health and fitness with age? Take a pause here and reflect.
We often strive to conquer one physical challenge after another, giving ourselves a congratulatory hug once achieved, only to then retreat into a comforting break, conveniently unplugging from the idea of pursuing new challenges.
Let’s take a hypothetical situation: You have been rigorously training to emerge victorious in an endurance test, and are now strongly smelling the allure of a rest period. Your subconscious murmurs, ‘Well, I think I’ve paid my dues through this sweaty ordeal!’ Doesn’t that resonate with you? But remember, when you relax, you inadvertently cease contemplating fresh hurdles.

The True Meaning of a Grounded Outlook

What if falling into this pattern isn’t the wisest choice? To understand this predicament better, we need to explore what it means to be “grounded”. The term is often associated with lucidity, limited over-analysis, and living in the present. Being grounded indicates solid foundations bolstering the entire system, much akin to the underpinnings of a structure providing stability or the roots anchoring a plant while offering nourishment.
When I say grounded, I also mean strengthening the roots such that they not only support the plan but also fuel your motivation to reach wider horizons.

The Yo-yo Syndrome in Goal Setting

In personal experience, I once had my weight see-sawing tremendously. There were times when I was an invincible warrior on the path to fitness, and then there were times when my resolve dissolved into severe inaction. To get to the root of this dilemma, I scrutinized my thinking patterns and behaviors diligently.
In one such phase of flab, I decided to pull up my socks and trim down. Seeing my reflection in the mirror, having lost weight and feeling fitter, fired up my motivation, but sadly, this was short-lived. My drive to fitness functioned only in close proximity to my “fear of being unfit”, a feeble ground to operate on.
This was an alarming sign that my approach was one of fleeing from the fear of being unhealthy rather than moving forward positively towards a healthier version of myself. On realizing this, I shifted the focus on improving health and fitness, thereby establishing a more sustainable long-term plan.

The Practical Implications of Your Goals

To enable you to shift your perspective, I propose a slightly different approach to understanding your goals. Instead of asking, “Why did I want to run the marathon?”, pose the question in a way that uncovers the deeper meaning, “What would completing the marathon mean to me?”
For instance, if you manage to complete a marathon, it translates to you being physically robust and mentally fit, and the marathon then becomes a mere tool to keep you “fit, strong and healthy”.

Your Future Success

Considering a broad-based goal roots the importance of understanding your compelling interest in outdoor fitness or adventure pursuits and can redefine the way you approach life.
Think this through: If your primary aim is to complete an event, once accomplished and celebrated, an overwhelming sense of inertia tends to creep in. But what if your goal was rooted deeper? What if the drive was to explore your physical boundaries continually? Wouldn’t the world appear drastically radiant then?

Five Steps to Embrace a More Grounded Goal

Usher in this change in approach to goal setting through these steps:

1. Ask yourself: “What would achieving my next goal symbolize to me?”
2. Question: “Why am I invested in fitness?”
3. Mull over: “Beyond my immediate goal, what constitutes my ultimate health, fitness and adventure aspirations?”
4. Ask the right questions to establish at least one powerful ‘moving towards goal’
5. Consistently focus on your grounded ‘moving towards goals’ to ascend to higher echelons of achievement.

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