Steps For Goal Creation From PRETTY GIRLS SWEAT

What sets those who achieve their goals apart from those who fail? Aeshia Devore Branch, the creative mind behind PRETTY GIRLS SWEAT was great when we reached out for advice concerning setting strong New Year’s Resolutions. She shared a huge personal goal she had accomplished the year before then gave excellent advice regarding approaching your goals with the right mindset.

We particularly like the 7 steps she gave for goal creation, as it can be difficult to know if you have set a solid goal. We hope you enjoy her interview as much as we did!

Question: Please share a New Year’s Resolution that you had set for yourself and actually stuck with. Why were you successful in maintaining this goal?

Aeshia: “New Year’s Resolutions are often difficult to keep unless you start small and remain consistent. Since I’m a risk taker, I tend to focus on one big goal each year that will push me out of my comfort zone and force me to live the life that I want. In 2017, I planned to launch PRETTY GIRLS SWEAT FEST ATLANTA—the Ultimate Sweat Sisterhood Festival aimed at inspiring over 500 women to become health leaders in their communities. The fear of bringing this idea to fruition with limited resources was discouraging, but I surrounded myself with a supportive team of positive people that encouraged and helped me along the way. Without them, as well as setting small goals with deadlines, PGSF would have just remained a page of notes in my journal.”

Question: In your opinion, what factor(s) determines a realistic and worthwhile fitness goal to set at the start of a new year?

Aeshia: “Being in the right mindset is a critical factor. When setting a health or fitness goal, motivation tends to diminish over time, and old habits start creeping back in. You must be clear about which goal is most important to you and focus on easy ways to meet realistic expectations. For instance, if your goal is to lose weight, don’t focus on achieving a specific number on a scale. My husband, who is a former college athlete, has been pretty stubborn about maintaining a healthy lifestyle in his adult life. After watching the documentary ‘What The Health,’ he was in the right mindset to set a realistic goal of eliminating meat from his diet Monday through Friday and completing 20-25 pushups each morning. By making a lifestyle change that he could stick to, he lost 30 pounds in 2017.”

Question: What advice do you have for others as they are creating health/fitness goals and New Year’s Resolution? What do you suggest for helping them stick to and succeed in their new goal?

Aeshia: “Think small to achieve BIG success. Here’s how to do it:

1. Decide what you want.

2. Share your dream with a close friend or family member (don’t tell everyone).

3. Set a deadline and stick with it.

4. Break down the goal into smaller steps.

5. Identify someone who’s accomplished a similar goal and model their attitude and belief system. Use them as inspiration.

6. Believe it’s possible.

7. Take action!”

After reading through Aeshia’s interview, what big or small goals have you set? If you have already set some goals, do they hold up if you run them through Aeshia’s 7 steps? Most importantly, make sure you approach your goals with a positive mindset. With a clear goal and the right mindset, all goals can be achieved.

Up next is Brian St. Pierre with Precision Nutrition. Read his full interview as he emphasizes the importance of not being discouraged by setbacks; instead being encouraged by staying positive and asking yourself certain questions to keep yourself on track.