How to achieve big goals by chunking them down, practicing assertiveness, and a full body dumbbell circuit

Happy Monday,

Knowing how to set and achieve goals seems like something that should come naturally to everyone.

Yet, in my experience, most of us don’t really understand the process of setting big goals and how to get there.

I certainly didn’t use to. I would think of something I wanted to accomplish — whether it was to change my identity from a non-athlete to an athlete or write a book — and then get so overwhelmed by the road ahead I would end up quitting before I even started.

These days, I know that achieving goals can be really simple. It’s all about learning to chunk down your goals into smaller, more manageable parts.

For example, if you have a goal of being able to do a pull-up but don’t know where to start, here’s how you’d begin to chunk it down:

  • Begin by looking for resources (websites, YouTube videos, books, etc.) that will provide you with the knowledge you’ll need to begin tackling your goal. Usually, this means starting with a simple Google search.
  • Summarize your findings into a simple plan. You may only know the first few steps to begin with (in the pull-up example, this might mean buying a doorway pull-up bar and a few simple exercises to start with). That’s ok.
  • Take action. Give the first step a try. Do your first workout. Try something, anything, to get started.
  • Seek out expert advice as needed (trainers, mentors, trainers, programs, etc.). This is important, especially as you reach plateaus and points in the process where you’re not sure what to go next.

Make sure to continue to tweak your plan as you go. The key to succeeding at your goals is to be flexible in the process. Even the best thought-out plans go awry at some point. Learn to adjust as you go and bounce back from setbacks, and you’ll be much more likely to achieve your goals.

You can do this with any goal, fitness-related or otherwise. Learning to take your biggest goals and chunk them down will help you make progress on even the most daunting goals.

What I’m reading —

The Assertiveness Workbook: How to Express Your Ideas and Stand Up for Yourself at Work and in Relationships by Randy Paterson

I saw this book on psychologist Nick Wignall’s list of “5 Underrated Self-Help Books That Will Actually Help” (here is the full list). I’m really glad I did — as a shy, soft spoken person, having healthy assertiveness doesn’t always come easy to me. This book is full of actionable advice on how to communicate more effectively.

What I’m watching —

Russell Brand on getting his purple belt in jiu jitsu and the humbling process it took to get to this point in his training.

A quote that inspires me —

“The establishment of a goal is one of the easiest ways to increase motivation and enhance performance.” — Steven Kotler

What I’m training —

Here’s a full body dumbbell circuit I posted on Instagram this week.

Three new workouts —

Arms & Core Kettlebell Workout (12 minute, kettlebell, plyo box or equivalent)

Faster Medicine Ball AMRAP Workout (AMRAP, medicine ball)

Full Body Pull Up Bar Workout (Time challenge, pull up bar)

You can get these and all future workouts right in the 12 Minute Athlete app when you subscribe as a Super Athlete.

Questions? Feedback? Content requests?

Please feel free to reply directly to this email if you have any questions or comments (yes, I am a real human). I get a lot of emails and messages, so I can’t reply to all of them, but I do read everything you guys send me!

Here’s to achieving all your goals,

– Krista

 




















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