No More Excuses! Set Goals And Get What You Want!

When taking it to the next level in our bodybuilding efforts, it is important to set the right goals... Find success and get what you want without excuses. Learn more. By: Connor LaVallie Article Summary: It's very easy for us to make excuses when we've worked hard yet still failed. You should keep in mind that life is a journey, and failures are meerly steps in that journey. You should always write down your goals, but make sure you write down your reasons too. It seems like everybody's got one these days... no matter how you look at it, consciously or subconsciously there is a self-serving bias at work aiming to appease us in various times of rejection. When you were focused on achieving something, maybe in your career... you might have even had a plan to go about getting a big promotion, and come to find that the top spot was awarded to someone else... how could this be? You did everything you were supposed to do, put in the work, and this guy took the top spot? If this situation sounds familiar then you are not alone. It is a biological defense mechanism built in that calms us in times of utter disbelief. It is self-serving because it is a way to mentally block out the topical pain and attribute our failures to something that was seemingly outside our control. Every single person thinks they are working hard for what they want but your idea of "hard work" may be a walk in the park compared to the guy standing next to you. Since we create our own realities, we are also subject to live in a world that is directly related to the standards we set for ourselves. Therefore, if we want to take it to the next level, our standards must be in line with what we are trying make a reality. The man or woman who goes the extra mile will remember your name when he meets you for the first time, he will usually be mindful of what he wants in every situation he comes across... and he will know why he wants it. There is no motivation like having prime reasons for what you want... that way there will be power in the motive to change. Click To Enlarge. There Is No Motivation Like Having Prime Reasons For What You Want. Endless Excuses Excuses are the by-product of subconscious self-serving attitudes. It may give you comfort and satisfaction in the short term... but does that really serve you in the long run? In such a subjective sport like bodybuilding, excuses can be as common as competitors refusing to drink water... and they usually go hand in hand... (But that's a separate issue). If you worked as hard as you possibly could while staying on par with the rules you've set for yourself... there is never a reason to give an excuse. If we fail... the self-serving bias will glare its ugly head and calm us down while imputing our failures to something outside our control. This is where we hear... I was holding water, I messed up with my potassium, I was way taller than that guy... it's so much easier for the short guys!- I don't buy it! There are advantages and disadvantages to every body type and phenotype... the ectomorph talks about how he can't gain weight, the endomorph will do almost anything in order to get shredded... short guys want broader shoulders, it goes on and on. But if we stop and re-evaluate ourselves by focusing on the advantages we have been given, and take immense pride in hard work, there's a whole new level that is recognized... and we're now engaged in taking on something that eventually becomes more than we ever thought was possible. When taking it to the next level in our bodybuilding efforts, it is important to set the right goals and make sure we follow through with our internal drive and practice consistency in our habits. Click To Enlarge. When We Fail Our Self-Serving Bias Will Imput Our Failure To A Cause Beyond Our Control. Life Is A Journey You may have heard it before; "life is a journey, not a destination"... it's a phrase that can sometimes bring ease and cause one to worry less when they believe every single day must bring about a whole new level in their life's mission. Fitness should be a major part of life for anyone who considers themselves successful. Without a fit, vital physical healthy body, how can you expect to manifest the dreams that keep you thrilled to live each day? It is crucial to set goals in life and be the type of person who wants to create a life style that produces lasting change in any area you want to improve, whether it's physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc... Taking time for you each day to attain something of importance in your life should be a no-brainer. Unfortunately, we are often distracted by the day-to-day occurrences that come in and deter us from our goals... a frequent occurrence in modern western society. RELATED VIDEO: Video Tip Of The Week! Video Tip Of The Week, #21: Diana Chaloux's Goals Tip! Each Tuesday you will find a new video tip dealing with training, nutrition, motivation, competition, etc. Come back each week to see who will star in the next segment! Watch More From This Series Here. The Impact Of Your Goals There may have been times when you've had a personal goal and had to train yourself to block out absolutely everything that could potentially get in the way. While thinking that the satisfaction of achieving the goal would bring you eternal pleasure, but then only realizing there were other pieces missing, leaving you wanting more. This is called the impact bias in psychology, a phenomenon that essentially causes you to believe the end result will have a much greater "impact" than you eventually come to see. Living with complete robot-like focus for prolonged periods of time will backfire if you neglect the other important areas of your life... leading you down a road to overall mediocrity. RELATED POLL Do You Feel Reaching Your Goals Was Anti-Climactic? No. It's Always A Great Feeling. Sometimes I Expect More. Yes. I'm Afraid My Goals Are Too Easy. I Don't Reach My Goals Enough To Tell. I'm here to tell you that "goals" are not a means to a destination, but are merely part of the journey. Set them, get excited, and take a step immediately towards their attainment so you stay on course. By doing this, you're adding some quick fuel to the fire that will create some momentum. So often, people will start out with so much excitement and drive to change their lives for the better. At this time this person has what I call the "spark" and all you need are some" logs" to turn that spark into a blazing fire. Those logs are your reasons, and they will be the driving force for you when things get difficult along the way. It is paramount to have the right reasons and know your purpose for working towards your goals. Could you imagine how much easier it would be to gain ten pounds of muscle this year, or melt that extra fat around your gut in six months if you knew exactly why you wanted to make it happen for yourself? Instead of just thinking about what you want to accomplish, try this: As soon as you come up with a goal, take out a pen and write that goal down! Underneath it, start writing all the thoughts that come to you that pertain to your goal's overall purpose: reasons, feelings, and anything that will get you going. Take that paper, and tape it to your bathroom mirror so you are reminded every day of why you are devoted to making a change. Doing this for yourself will launch you to another level of focus in your life and this constant reinforcement every day will put you on the correct path. Just take a few minutes and do this for yourself, I promise you will return to this process each time you discover a new goal in your life. Click To Enlarge. Doing This For Yourself Will Launch You To Another Level Of Focus. Conclusion Always work as hard as humanly possible during the experience so you won't be one of those poor souls who feel the chills of regret, but understand this: you will not feel as fulfilled as you first imagine, which is OK! It is normal to feel this way because there is always a higher level to get to, another goal to grasp... no matter where you are in your diet and training. That is the fun part, the temporary security that comes with achievement, and the reality that sets in to get us excited... to take the next step toward a higher level in the journey called life.