We are halfway through 2024, let's talk about goals...
It's okay if you're just checking in now.
It's okay if you set goals in January and forgot about them until now.
You're here now, let's determine how to set yourself up for wins in the next 6 months.
Sometimes we set really loftly goals, because we humans want to do incredible feats because we know it is possible!
But then often pursuing those challenging skills or goals can seem overwhelming every time you think about it because you are only thinking about the big picture. Whether it’s mastering a yoga pose, achieving a fitness goal, or reaching a business milestone, the key is to break them down into manageable, drill-able components.
This strategy, known as progression, is your roadmap to success, helping you move forward one step at a time.
The Power of Progressions
Progressions are a series of steps that gradually lead you from your current level to your desired goal. This method can be applied to virtually any aspiration, from learning a challenging yoga pose to running a marathon or building an online business. The aim of progressions is to make the journey less daunting by focusing on smaller, achievable tasks.
Embrace the Journey
It can be easy to feel frustrated when starting something new. The gap between where you are and where you want to be can seem insurmountable. I’ve been there, feeling discouraged and thinking, “I’ll never be able to do this.”
But here’s the transformative mindset shift: instead of focusing on the big and lofty goal, ask yourself, “What part of this can I work on today to help me get a little closer?”
Take the handstand, a goal many students share with me, commendable because the handstand is a challenging yet rewarding skill that takes dedicated practice to achieve and years of practice to "master"!
When first attempting to balance on your hands, you might feel miles away from success. You could easily quit, convinced you'll never get there or that you needed to be born with a certain skill or talent and its just not in your cards.
You know this is nonsense, look at all the various skills you have learned in life that weren't "natural" for you... but your brain still may go there when faced with an unknown, new challenge.
Your brain just likes to keep you safe, but with gentle and persistent practice, you can also retrain these thought patterns.
Instead, let's break the handstand down into smaller, workable components. Here are just a handful of skills you can incorporate into your regular practice to
Skills to build the strength, control, and balance required for handstands:
3-Legged Down Dog:
Spend more time here and work on gradually increasing the amount of weight in the hands. Hold and breathe.
Planks:
All kinds, all directions. The aim is to be able to hold a stable body position in various orientations against gravity. Regular planks will build the shoulder stability and core strength required for handstands. Some variations: Hands Elevated Plank, Side Plank, Forearm Plank, High Plank (from hands), Feet Elevated Plank.
Wall-Assisted Handstands:
When you are ready to invert, using the wall can be a great tool to take some fear out of going upside down. Practice both kicking up into the wall and walking your feet up with your belly facing the wall. Focus on staying calm and breathing while upside down, build the necessary shoulder and core strength while worrying less about balance at this point.
Handstand Kick-Ups:
Practicing kick-ups can help you get used to the motion of entering a handstand and gradually improve your confidence.
Freestanding Holds:
Of course if you goal is a free standing handstand, you must start trying the full skill... it can be helping to try some right after your warmup and then again at the end of your workout, after drilling your appropriate progressions. These will serve as a handy check-in and benchmark to track your progress. You will feel yourself getting stronger. It can also be very helpful to record yourself and review the footage to better understand your body positioning.
All of these drills are essential for bringing you a little closer to a strong handstand and will keep you motivated and engaged in the process. It is vital to find metrics of smaller successes along the way. If you only focus on the "end goal" as you measure of success or failure, you will only feel frustration and block yourself from believing that your practice is even worth it.
This is why so many people quit before they even start--not you though.
Let's say you want to hold a handstand for 30 seconds. An initial goal might be to hold a strong plank position for 30 seconds. Gradually add more time and you will experience a series of wins that will keep you focused and on track. Then you aim for 30 seconds handstand with assistance like a wall or partner.
Applying Progressions to All Areas of Life
This method isn’t limited to Yoga and fitness. Whatever your dream—whether it’s writing a book, learning a new language, or starting a business—breaking it down into smaller, actionable steps can make it achievable.
Yoga:
Start with any version of the posture you can do. With practice we explore more and more poses while building the strength and flexibility needed for advanced asanas. *Keep in mind "beginner" and "advanced" poses or variations of poses are all relative to your personal Yoga journey.
Fitness:
Break down your training into specific exercises targeting different muscle groups, energy systems, and skills. Not sure where to even start or what types of fitness goals to set? Check out our printable ebook: Fitness 101 - Physical Education for Adults with Cardio and Strength Training Logs, Goals Planner.
Prioritizing exercise is a transformative step towards living your best life. Fitness 101 helps you set clear, achievable goals that align with your personal fitness level and interests. You'll learn the benefits of different types of exercise and how to incorporate a variety of activities you enjoy into your daily routine.
Yoga Teachers and Fitness Professionals:
This downloadable PDF is a Canva Template with Private Label and Master Resell Rights, allowing you the option to rebrand, restyle, and resell to your clients or utilize this product as is, selling it in your own store.
Business Goals:
Identify the skills you need to start, build, and scale your business. What can you learn, create, or set up today that will help you get steps closer to your business goals and dreams.
Personal Development:
Set small, incremental goals that contribute to your overall growth and happiness. These could include everything from improving your relationships, reading more books, getting enough sleep, and whatever areas in your life you want to improve. Know you are capable of improving. You must remember your brain is plastic. This means that you can learn anything at any age--you can develop new habits. It takes commitment, work, and setting small enough stepping stones that you can keep moving in the direction you want, no matter how slow. If your stepping stones are too far apart, it's easier to fall off the path.
Staying Motivated Through Progressions
Progressions not only make big goals more manageable but also keep you motivated. Each small victory builds momentum and confidence, reinforcing the belief that you can achieve your larger dreams. Celebrate these wins, no matter how minor they may seem, because they are stepping stones to your ultimate goal.
Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. By breaking down your goals and working on them piece by piece, you’ll find that nothing is out of reach.
So, next time you’re faced with a daunting challenge, don’t get discouraged. Break it down, focus on what you can do today, and keep moving forward. You’ve got this!
Ready to Take the Next Step?
To help you create your goals, stay on track to achieve them, and maintain a positive mindset, you may love our Set Your Goals, Set Your Mind, Set Aside Time - Goals Journal & Mindset Training.
This 8-page PDF is designed to help you effectively set goals, create a plan to overcome obstacles, and stay on track to achieve them. This journal can be used as a digital PDF or can be printed over and over again. Hang your goals page up on your wall, cut out the affirmation circles and place them wherever your like.
"What gets measured gets managed."
--Peter Drucker
Let's make the next six months your most productive and fulfilling yet!
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