Honey, Have You Seen My Why?

     One of the most important responsibilities we address at Synergy AP is speaking with our clients about Goal Setting.  We have a very specific system we use to help our athletes gain perspective on the reasons they've decided to invest in improving their movement skills.  The first station on the Goal Setting train we call Defining Your Purpose.  Unfortunately most eager exercisers shoot themselves in the foot before the gun even goes off (yeah, that can happen!) by missing the most important action step for doing anything - defining purpose.  Chip Conrad, a mentor of mine and a true teacher of physical culture, calls this "finding your why".  It can range from the superficial looking good naked to the interpersonal fulfillment of your usefulness to your community (whoa, that's deep!).

The wall asked Chip why he was holding those funny looking clubs... Chip took it as a personal attack!

     You need to specify what you intend to gain from a healthy, more active lifestyle, be that aesthetics or utility.  This is imperative to not only set your ultimate goal, but to continually motivate you to pursue it.  Of course, your level of connection to your purpose directly impacts your adherence to the program.  It is no surprise that when you find your "why" you find a way to do what is necessary to accomplish your goal.  Without setting your purpose, your path is unclear and it becomes too easy to get off track and lose your way.  Be sure to define your purpose for a more fit lifestyle or risk being another passenger on the "there is always next year" bandwagon.