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Begin it Now

Adam Hodges | January 1, 2013

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”

These lines, often attributed to Goethe, seem particularly appropriate as the calendar turns the page into the New Year. If you have had your sights set on a dream you have never quite been able to act upon, heed the call. Begin it. Begin it now.

Here are three key steps to help you put flesh on that ambition:

1. Set a Goal

Begin It

Put your goal down in writing, using the SMART mnemonic as a guide. This is the first step to making your dream a reality. Namely, goals should be specific, measurable, challenging yet realistically attainable, relevant to the current point and time of your life, and time-bound. Then share the goal with others, and enlist their support. Learn more with these ten guidelines for effective goal setting.

2. Create a Plan

Once you have given your goal some materiality by writing it down, next you need to create a concrete plan to take you from here to there. To learn how to create your own training plan, check out The Endurance Athlete’s Guide to Systematic, Recovery Based Training.

3. Monitor Your Progress and Adjust Your Course

A goal and a plan require monitoring to keep you on the right path. Keep track of your training using the Training Peaks online training log. Periodically schedule benchmark workouts to test your fitness and assess your progress. Use feedback along the way to make adjustments as needed to stay on target. Keep in mind that the path from a goal’s inception to fruition is rarely a straight, smooth line.

Happy New Year, and train smart!

Related:

Goal Setting Guidelines for the New Season Ten Guidelines for Effective Goal Setting GoalsAfter Setting Your Goals, Now What? Why and What’s the Reason For? The ABCs of Prioritizing Races and Setting Race Goals

Filed Under: Mental Skills Tagged With: Goals, Life, Mind, Run, Triathlon

About Adam Hodges

Adam Hodges, PhD, is a trail runner, mountain endurance athlete, and coach with credentials from the United Endurance Sports Coaching Academy (UESCA), USA Triathlon (USAT), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). In addition to coaching multisport athletes, he has coached high school cross country and track runners in California and masters swimmers in Colorado and California. As a USAT All-American triathlete, he has competed in the ITU World Triathlon Championships, the ITU World Duathlon Championships, and the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. As a masters runner, he has won a series title in the XTERRA SoCal Trail Series. His current pursuits include trail running, climbing, mountaineering, skimo, and cross-country skiing. Check out his training plans and courses to help you prepare for you next adventure.

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