Thursday Thoughts: Achieving Your Fitness Goals Through Performance and Endurance

Why Performance Goals Are the Key to Lasting Fitness Habits

Have you ever struggled to make working out a regular part of your life? If so, you're not alone. Most of my clients have. From time to time, I struggle too.

When I catch myself in a funk, I often lean back on a tried-and-true crutch: performance goals. Setting achievable goals—like walking a 5K, doing 10 push-ups, or hiking 10 miles—can help transform fitness into a habit that sticks. The best part is that these goals can be entirely customized to you, regardless of your current fitness level.

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Performance Goals: Fitness to Fit Your Life

No two people have the same fitness journey. Some might want to be able to run a 5K without stopping, while others dream of doing a set of unassisted push-ups or playing soccer with their grandkids. Whatever your fitness goals, what matters most is putting in the effort to prepare both your mind and body.

Examples of Performance Goals:

Holding a 1-minute plank: Build core strength and stability, essential for overall fitness.
Completing a 30-day yoga challenge: Incorporate mindfulness and flexibility into your routine.
Climbing a flight of stairs without getting winded: A practical and motivating goal for improving cardiovascular health.
Dancing through an entire playlist: Enjoy movement while working on stamina—great for anyone who loves music.
Cycling 20 miles on a weekend ride: A family-friendly goal that blends fitness with fun.
Balancing on one leg for 30 seconds: Improve balance and coordination, which is especially important as we age.
Taking part in a charity walk: Combine giving back with personal health goals to improve both your fitness and community.
Learning to swim or swim 10 laps in a pool: Great for those who want to improve full-body fitness while being gentle on the joints.
Squatting your body weight: A strength-based goal to boost lower body endurance.
Completing a 5-minute guided meditation: Develop mental endurance alongside physical fitness, especially for those new to mindfulness.

Fitness isn't about comparing yourself to others. It's about setting meaningful goals that inspire you to push forward—one step at a time.

The Power of Endurance: It's More Than Just Physical Strength

Achieving your performance goals is about more than how strong or fit you are physically. It's also about your mindset and ability to endure discomfort when things get challenging. The connection between the mind and body is crucial to successful performance. When the body becomes tired, your mind takes over, driving you across the finish line. Learn more about strengthening your mind in my post on brain dumping for productivity.

Mind and Body Connection: Training both your mind and your body is essential. A mismatch between them—like physical strength without mental resilience—can lead to burnout or giving up before you reach your goal.
Building Endurance: Endurance is built through consistent practice and repetition. Your confidence tells you: "I can handle this discomfort." When you've practiced enough, you'll know what to expect and feel ready to take on any challenge.

For more insights on the benefits of endurance training, check out this article from Healthline on building endurance.

"Endurance is the confidence that you can withstand the discomfort of the challenge." - Shelly Cutler

Whether your goal is to walk further, lift heavier, or feel better about yourself, building endurance in both mind and body will help you achieve your goals.

How Coaching Can Help You Reach Your Fitness Goals

Sometimes, we all need a little extra motivation to keep us on track. That's where accountability coaching comes into play. A coach can help you set realistic performance goals, create a plan to achieve them and support you through the highs and lows of your fitness journey.

Need an accountability coach to help you build healthier habits? Schedule an intro call with me to see if I'd be a good partner for you.

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