Goal Setting Right now there is probably at least one person in every gym in the country wandering around aimlessly from machine to machine, doing a few sets here and a few reps there.

They will have very little knowledge of what they are doing, and why they are doing it. The most likely explanation is they ‘want to get fitter’. I guarantee there are thousands of people like this across the nation, training with no direction. No end destination. No goals.

Every successful person, be it in fitness, sport or business will set goals that they want to achieve. It’s what drives them on when times are tough and gives purpose to everything they do. Everyone should adopt a similar mind-set when it comes to training.

Here are some tips when it comes to setting targets in the gym that can be used regardless of whether you want to lose fat, build muscle, improve health or compete in an event or sport.

Be specific: The first thing to do when goal setting is to be specific. I always hear people saying they want to lose weight, or want to get bigger. These are merely phrases that will no doubt be forgotten about immediately after saying them. If you want to lose weight, set a target body mass or a specific number of kilos you want to shift and put a date on it. State how low you want your body fat percentage to be. You want to become a better golfer? Then write down a handicap you want to be playing off by next year and then begin looking at what needs to be done to get there. Specific goals can effectively influence behaviours much more efficiently than general goals.

Think long term and short term: A typical long term goal could be I want to weigh X amount of pounds by my wedding next summer. You have been specific with your goal and set a target date. The next step is to break it down into a sequence of progressive short term steps that lead you from your current weight to your goal weight. The completion of each short term sub goal will build a sense of achievement and confidence, and ensure adherence. The long term goal will give purpose to the hard work being put in on a weekly basis.

Challenging but realistic: Effective goals should be hard enough to challenge you but realistic enough that they can be met. Goals that require no effort will have no value and goals that are too difficult can lead to frustration and dents in confidence. The key is to find a balance. This can be one of the hardest things to deal with in the fitness industry as people always want results yesterday! Don’t think you are going to pick up a barbell for the first time tomorrow and be competing at the Commonwealth Games this summer. At the same time there is nothing to stop you from entering a weightlifting competition next year as a challenging but realistic target.

Record goals: Write down your goals on a post-it and stick it on your fridge. If you’ve got a whiteboard at home or in work, stick it on there. Type notes on your phone or iPad or laptop, anywhere that you will be constantly reminded of it. Track your progress through training logs and nutrition diaries. Above all be accountable. The saying ‘out of sight, out of mind’ has relevance to goal setting strategies. Recording your goals and placing them where they can be easily seen will help you on your way to achieving them.

Remember, a goal without a plan is just a wish. Use these tips to help you achieve your targets in lifting and in life.

Train hard.