When it comes to getting better at anything, it’s easy for the world to say, ‘Just do it,’ but this isn’t always helpful. To truly improve, it’s essential to have a clear, actionable plan. This article aims to provide the tangible steps required to help you get better at whatever goals you’re pursuing, whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or are already an experienced athlete with some more intense exercise or skill goals.
Step 1: Set a Goal
When achieving anything, you should start with setting a goal. As the Stoic philosopher Epictetus said, “Without a destination, no wind is favourable.” Without a clear goal, staying motivated can be challenging. Your goal can be as broad as losing 20 kgs, doing a kipping pull-up, running 5 km without stopping, or, for the performance athlete, completing 20 strict handstand push-ups or lifting 100 kgs. Your goal might look big, hairy, and a bit audacious, but as Jim Collins suggests in his book “Good to Great,” such goals help keep you in the game for the long haul.
Step 2: Assess Your Current Situation
Once you’ve set your goal, understand where you are in relation to it. Imagine you’re in a boat in England trying to sail to Australia—you need to plan for the journey, considering all the logistics and challenges ahead. This step is crucial as it sets the foundation for your progress.
Step 3: Set Your First Milestone and Plan
With your goal in mind, set a small, achievable milestone as your first target. For instance, if you aim to lose 20 kg, start by aiming to lose 1 kg. This involves basic steps like improving your diet, exercising, and staying hydrated. For more advanced goals, such as running 5 km or doing more handstand push-ups, assess where you are and plan a small, incremental milestone. You’ll be surprised how quickly you achieve these smaller goals once you have a plan.
Step 4: Be Consistent and Train Regularly
Consistency is crucial to improvement. Aim to be 1% better daily by making small, manageable changes. For weight loss, this might mean choosing a salad sandwich over a pie or drinking water instead of soft drinks. For exercise goals, consistently practice your movements 3-4 times weekly, gradually increasing the difficulty. For example, if you can’t run 2 km without stopping, do 5 laps of an oval every 5 minutes. Once you can do this consistently, reduce the time intervals and increase the distance gradually. This same rule applies to advanced goals, too. I love to prescribe every-minute-on-the-minute skill drills to anyone who wants to handstand walk or handstand push up where they do 1m or 1 handstand push up every minute on the minute for 5-10 minutes, adding more progressive overload gradually over time as they progress.
Step 5: Always Measure Your Progress
Always measure your progress to avoid being misled by your feelings. Documenting your metrics and results in a log or diary will help you see what is or isn’t working. This practice helps you manage emotions and stay focused on facts. At Vasse Strength and Conditioning, we are big advocates of using tools like Beyond the Whiteboard to provide objective data, ensuring you see real progress rather than relying on subjective feelings to evaluate your success.
In conclusion, improving any area requires a structured approach. Start by setting a clear goal, assessing your current position, setting small milestones, staying consistent with your efforts, and measuring your progress regularly. By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals, whether a beginner or an experienced athlete. Remember, it’s the small, consistent efforts that lead to significant improvements over time. Keep tracking your progress, stay motivated, and celebrate each milestone you achieve along the way.