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Setting and Hitting Goals Part 5 - Ensuring Goals Are Relevant

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February 02, 2024•5 min read

By David Drinks

Welcome back for part five of this series on Setting and Hitting Goals!

If you are joining me now, be sure to go back and check out the first four parts here:

Part 1 - Identifying Your Goals

Part 2 - Get Specific

Part 3 - Make it Measurable

Part 4 - Achievable & Action-Oriented

If you have made it this far, you have identified your 2024 goal(s). Your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, and Action-Oriented.

As we continue to walk through this SMART goal-setting framework, you will notice it is simple but very effective. It takes little time and effort to identify specific goals, figure out how to measure progress, and set clear action steps to get you started.

However, it does require more time and effort than most people put into thinking about their goals. That is why so many lose sight of their "New Year's resolutions" and fail around this time of year. They never took the time to set themselves up for success from the start.

But I promise you, if you take the requisite time to run your goal through this framework, you will likely achieve it this year.

So, if January did not go as planned, or you feel yourself slipping on your intentions for this year already, take heart. You can start fresh right now and still accomplish amazing things this year!

There is nothing magical about January 1. You do not have to wait until next year to start over! Just pretend that February 1 is another chance to start fresh and use it to reset.

It all starts with writing your goal in detail within the SMART goal framework.

With that, let's take the next step today - ensuring your goals are Relevant.

No, I am not concerned if your goals are relevant to the current culture. Instead, I'm talking about ensuring your goals are relevant to your life, vision, mission, values, and current circumstances.

This step in the goal-setting process is a great checkpoint to prevent you from putting a ton of time and effort into something that ultimately does not matter or will not fulfill your life vision, mission, and purpose.

It also ensures you do not feel like you are banging your head against the wall by attempting a goal that does not align with your current life circumstances.

For example, say you have a goal to run a marathon (or a 5k if you are just getting started running). The only problem with this goal is that you also just had a baby!

Congratulations!

But can you see how your life circumstances may not align with this goal? I know from experience with a 5-year-old and 2-year-old currently at home that the first year of having a new baby is not the time to set big training goals like running a marathon!

That does not mean this goal can never happen, but it is irrelevant now. There are better times to prioritize it.

Likewise, you may have a goal that is incongruent with your values. For example, you prioritize being present for your family, but you also have set a goal to pursue a high-stress career that forces you to travel constantly.

If you throw yourself into this career goal, you are, by definition, moving against your core values. The outcome is not a positive pursuit of your dream but rather stress, burnout, and constant tension.

Can you see how crucial it is to have goals relevant to your current circumstances, values, mission, and vision?

These factors are also not static. They are constantly shifting with changes in life circumstances and experiences. So, re-evaluate all these factors when setting your goals to ensure you set relevant goals.

Without this step, the pursuit of your goal will feel like an uphill battle, likely ending in an unsatisfying way.

But, when your goals align with your vision for where you want to end up 5-10 years from now, the life purpose you feel driven to fulfill, and your current values and circumstances, you have traction.

Traction leads to accelerated success in your goals. You rarely slip or take steps backward. Instead, you steadily march toward your goal!

So, here are some action steps for today:

If you have not thought about a vision for your life lately, do it now. Where do you see yourself one year from today? How about five or ten years from today? Once you have this clearly defined, setting the right goals is much easier.
What mission or purpose do you feel driven to pursue? For some, it may be a faith-based mission (a calling, if you will). But, it could also be a mission to help people solve problems through your work. Or a mission to raise children the best you can. Or a mission to be a fantastic grandparent. Or a mission to serve your community through volunteer efforts. Whatever purpose you are serving with your life, are your goals in alignment with that mission? Are they helping you to pursue it at your best or hindering you?
What are your core values? What principles do you operate by and hold to be true? What things do you place the most importance on in your life?
What are your current circumstances? Are your goals congruent or cross-purpose with those circumstances?

If you want to experience traction and positive momentum in pursuing your goals instead of feeling like you are banging your head against the wall, then this step is vital!

Setting specific goals that are measurable and actionable works only if your goals are relevant.

You are in alignment once you ensure your goals are relevant to your life vision, mission, values, and current circumstances.

You will experience traction that accelerates you toward your goals!

Alright. You now have identified a specific goal that is measurable, achievable, and action-oriented! Today, we have taken the time to ensure it is relevant to your current life.

Now, we have just one step left to finalize your SMART goals. I'll be back next week to help you finish your goal-setting coaching for 2024 and send you off on your journey toward success!

P.S. If you identify a health and fitness goal as one of your top priorities this year, we want to help!

One of our expert fitness coaches will sit down with you to walk you through our SMART goal-setting system, help you identify the path to success, and design your ideal exercise and nutrition plan.

Contact us here to schedule a free consultation!

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Exercise Specialist

Nutrition Coach

Exercise Specialist

Nutrition Coach

DAVID DRINKS

Exercise Specialist & Owner

David has worked as an Exercise Specialist at The Med Gym since its inception in 2014, and has helped people of all ages move better, feel better, live better, and perform better. His love for training in the gym began as a high school and college baseball player where he learned the value of training his own body for athletic performance. Since then, he has grown to love training others to become their healthiest, perform their best, and learn the value of a proper training program.

David earned his bachelor’s degree in Sport & Exercise Science from DeSales University in 2013. During that time, he helped design off-season and in-season training programs for the DeSales University baseball team, as well as interning with the strength & conditioning coaches at Lehigh University to work with varsity athletes at Lehigh. Since college David has spent time working in the Physical Therapy setting prior to his time as one of the Exercise Specialists at The Carlisle MedGym.

In 2021, David partnered with Brian Cardin and Steve Miller (owners of Cardin & Miller Physical Therapy and The Med Gym) to become part-owner and the managing partner of The Med Gym.

David is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is also Level 2 Certified in the Functional Movement Screen, as well as certified in the Fundamental Capacity Screen through Functional Movement Systems.

You can contact David at [email protected]

Kade Adomanis

Exercise Specialist

Kade has worked at The Med Gym since May of 2022, and since then has continued his passion to train and build rapport with his clients. His goal is to help individuals move better, live better and feel better. His love for training began with his own training for sports, which culminated as a college soccer player at DeSales University.

Kade graduated in 2022 from DeSales University with a Bachelor's degree in Sport and Exercise Physiology and a minor in Psychology. Throughout his college education, he developed both his love for training in the gym and his passion for helping people improve their overall function. During college, he began working with adults with disabilities as a social worker at Kaleidoscope. Through that experience, he developed a greater appreciation for the importance of helping people live and function better.

In addition to his work with Kaleidoscope, Kade also gained experience working in an internship at Lehigh Valley Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation. There, he had the opportunity to assist individuals with their workout programs to improve their overall health. As part of that internship, he gained experience in cardiovascular and pulmonary health. He had the opportunity to read EKGs, take blood pressures, and set up clients with electrodes for monitoring.

Kade also has internship experience with an occupational therapy clinic specializing in hand therapy. There, he learned about different occupational therapy techniques for the hand.

Kade is a Certified Exercise Physiologist through the American Society of Exercise Physiologists (ASEP). He is also Level 1 Certified in the Functional Movement Screen.

You can contact Kade at [email protected]

Bill Bodisch

Exercise Specialist & Nutrition Coach

For the past thirty-plus years, Bill was a sales and marketing professional committed to a high level of customer satisfaction and delivering solutions to customer challenges. Now, as a certified personal trainer and a certified nutrition and health coach, he is committed to fostering a supportive environment that empowers clients to overcome their unique health challenges, advocate ownership of their health, and plan for change.

Fitness has always been a part of Bill's life. As a teenager, he began weight training to gain strength for sports. He still incorporates functional fitness programs into his everyday life to stay healthy and strong - mentally and physically. He has always liked everything about being in the gym, especially the challenge of new programs.

As part of The Med Gym community, Bill assists clients as a trainer, nutrition coach, and accountability partner. He helps people overcome specific health challenges and physical limitations while encouraging them to become the healthiest version of themselves.

Playing golf has always been a passion for Bill. He has attained Level 1 Certification with Titleist Performance Institute, which focuses on the body-swing connection for golfers. Additionally, Bill is a certified Golf Fitness Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. The TPI screen is the foundation for golf fitness training. Bill focuses on balance, rotation, and power exercises to help all golfers train better, swing better, and play better.

Currently, Bill is:

• Level 1 Certified in the Functional Movement Screen

• Level 1 Certified Titleist Performance Institute

• Certified Personal Trainer and Golf Fitness Specialist - National Academy of Sports Medicine

• Level 1 Certified Nutrition Coach through Precision Nutrition

• Certified Health Coach and Life Coach through the Health Coach Institute

You can contact Bill at [email protected]

Caitlin Patane

Exercise Specialist

Caitlin Patane is a Carlisle native. She obtained an Associate of Arts degree from Harrisburg Area Community College in 2011. She then decided to take a break in her education before finishing her bachelor’s degree at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in Sport and Exercise Conditioning. Being active and feeling fit has always been an integral part of her life and she aspired to help others in a knowledgeable and safe way.

Caitlin worked as a manager of a gym in Stroudsburg for over 3 years; however, she was not feeling fulfilled in her career and felt she could be doing something more. A unique, challenging, and unrelated career opportunity presented itself in 2019, when she started working for C.F. Martin and Co., one of the oldest, most highly respected acoustic guitar manufacturers in the world. She truly enjoyed her time and experience there; however, she decided to get back to her roots and degree by moving back to her beloved hometown of Carlisle in 2022.

Caitlin has worked at the Med Gym for over a year now and has made some wonderful connections with her clients. She feels that she helped many people on their fitness journey move closer to their goals. She also became certified in the Functional Movement Screen, Level 1, which has helped her to better assess her clients and create effective and individualized programs for each one of them. While Caitlin enjoys her time at the Med Gym, she is taking a temporary leave of absence towards the end of May to have her first child - a baby girl! She is very excited about this new and exciting life event. However, she will be looking forward to getting back to training clients in the future. She hopes all of her clients stick with their training in her absence and continue to make progress toward their health and fitness goals!

You can contact Caitlin at [email protected]

Calvin Nause

Exercise Specialist

Calvin Graduated from Shippensburg University in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science. His passion for sports from a young age initially got him into exercise and fitness. Calvin played sports throughout his high school career with soccer being his favorite. During his time at Shippensburg, he was a member of the exercise science club and did an internship with Shippensburg Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine.

Coming out of college he was initially unsure what route he would take as a career path. Starting in June of 2020, shortly after graduation, Calvin started working for Cardin & Miller Physical Therapy as a PT Aide. Over the 3 years that he worked there, he began to realize how much he truly enjoyed working with people to help them become stronger and live healthier lives. One of the most rewarding parts of working in the fitness industry is having an impact on someone's journey toward feeling the best they possibly can.

Calvin looks forward to challenging himself and others in a positive and uplifting way! He is super excited to be working in such a welcoming place like The Med Gym!

Calvin is Level 1 Certified in the Functional Movement Screen.

You can contact Calvin at [email protected]

Erin Smeigh

Nutrition Coach

Food is medicine but just one part of the journey to wellness!

After reversing her own autoimmune disorder with food, movement, hydration, and supplements, Erin discovered her desire to support others in finding wellness through nutrition and identifying hidden stressors.

Her objective with nutrition coaching is to help individuals create a routine of eating more whole and unprocessed foods. Choosing to be mindful of what they eat and when they eat it.

Forget the days of being trapped in a chaotic cycle of restricting food, overeating, feeling guilty, and then restricting even more. Erin will help you, identify your stressors, and develop long-term, enjoyable habits around food so you can live a happier and healthier life.

By doing this you can create a sustainable plan for long-term health and body change.

Erin is a Level 1 Certified Nutrition Coach through Precision Nutrition.

As of July 2023, she has also obtained her certification as an FDNP-Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, Certified Health Coach.

You can contact Erin at [email protected]