How often should I exercise to achieve my goals?

I get this question a lot.

And, by “a lot,” I mean every day. 

Every day I get another email asking, “how many times, or how often should I, or how long will it take to achieve this goal?”
To answer this, let’s turn the tables. I’ll ask you a question.

How bad do you want it?

If you want it bad enough to make a real commitment, then you’re already off to a good start. Now, let’s break it up into 5 simple steps to help you organize your thoughts, and keep you on track.

5 Habits to make sure you achieve your goals:

1. Know what your goals are.

   Sounds easy enough, right? Well, you’d be surprised how many people don’t actually have a real grasp of what their true goals are. Think it over, find an honest answer. Pinpoint some attainable goals for yourself. 

   Once you’ve figured out what you really want to achieve and why, start to look at it like a captain would chart his ship's coordinates. When you know where you are going, everything else becomes more clear. Even if setbacks occur you still know your coordinates, the only thing you’ve got to say is, just like Captain Jean Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise, “Engage.”
   

2. Visualize and acknowledge your milestones.

   Have you ever had those dreams where you see yourself performing incredible things, things you had no idea you could do? We always wake up feeling revived and amped up when dreams like these turn up while we sleep. 
   

   Similarly, you need to Visualise exactly what your goal will look like. See yourself reaching the end, see yourself pushing forward, believe you will get there. 
   
   Remember, every time you take a step forward it is a huge milestone. Take a moment to acknowledge it, give yourself a pat on the back. You did it! It’s one more goal met. It’s one more thing you’ve accomplished. Recognizing your efforts will help you maintain momentum.
   

3. Every day with consistency.

   If your day only allows 10-20 min a day for you to work on your goals, make that time count. Don’t just use it to tick it off the list, maximize your time by really pushing yourself to do things to the best of your ability. Every time, no matter what it is, give it your all. 
   
   Don’t go off half-cocked and say, “well, I did it… sort of.” No. Do it to the best of your ability. Make those 10-20 minutes matter. Eventually, they’ll add up and you’ll start to see the changes you want. But, be consistent and make the most of your time.
   

4. Stop saying, “I can not” do it when you first start!

   I’m assuming you didn’t start running the minute you were out of the womb? Am I right? 

   So, what makes you think that an exercise will just “happen” the first time you do it? 
   
   There is going to be a period of slow progress as your body adjusts to what you’re demanding of it. It’s normal. Don’t get discouraged. We all have to get over an initial learning curve when we start something new. Just stay consistent in your efforts and things will start to become easier as time goes by, it’s an inevitability.
   

5. Don’t compare your achievements to others.

   You have your own starship, your own mission. Your goals are yours, everyone else’s is theirs. Your achievements, your path, your life can not and should never be compared to anyone else’s. This is your journey. Own it.
   

   Every time you compare yourself or your progress to someone else, you’re going to throw yourself off course. Stay true, stay consistent, keep forging ahead. You’ll get there, believe me. Even if it takes days or weeks or months, you will get there. 
   
   Every story has a beginning and an end. Every time you embark on a new chapter, a new journey, you start back at the beginning. We all do. It’s what keeps life interesting. So, don’t compare your achievements to anyone else’s. You’re only taking all the excitement out of your own journey. 
   
   As always, I’m here for all of you. Any questions or comments, I’m always happy to hear what your thoughts are.
   

   Onward and Upward!

   --Alessia  

   Still Need Help?

   If you find yourself feeling short of inspiration, remember you can download the Get Ballerina Fit workout. What helps you the most when fatigue sets in? Let me know in the comments below, so we can all learn from each other. Let’s keep dancing!

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Of course I’m here for you, so if you have any question or want to start a conversation, feel free to leave a message below or send me an email to hello@lazydancertips.com :)

Love
Alessia