Isn’t it funny how people come into your life sometimes? I met this lovely gem of a human on a volunteer dog walk in a little town in Mexico (in Sayulita, one of my favourite places). We hit it off (I love making fast friends!) and it turned out I could help her real-estate biz by doing some lifestyle branding photos for her. Super awesome that I always travel with my camera!

While this post is a little bit here to share Ann’s amaze-balls images from our time together, I also wanted to take the opportunity to share a little business coaching with you.

I’ve found my way back to being a bit of a gym rat in the past few months and it occurred to me to share that my fitness strategy can 100% be applied as business strategy. This is likely not new information, but sometimes things just hit different when you see them in a different context.

Step 1.

Have a clear and specific goal to work towards. The more specific the better.

In the fitness realm I find this an easy one, because I’ve been there before and I can visualize the outcome, my goal is to run a Spartan Race this summer. Since I’ve done it, I can see exactly what that looks like, feels like and even smells like.

It’s a little tougher when your goals are something you’ve never done/had before but this is where you get to use your imagination and make it anything you want it to be. If you’re a creative like me, it might help to have a vision board. Find some photos, words & inspiration and put it where you can see it every day.

Step 2.

Break it down. Reaching big goals does not happen over night so brainstorm what steps need to happen to get from here to there. Write them down, put them in your calendar, get an accountability buddy, have your phone send you notifications and encouragement.

Most importantly: Dig a bit (or a lot) to know exactly why this goal is important to you. It’s easy to get sidetracked in this digital world where anyone & everything is trying to get your attention. Write your reasons down, visit them frequently.

Step 3.

Take action! Actually -do- the things on your break-down list.

Seems simple enough, but the truth is a lot of us really -want- for things but we don’t always put in the effort to make it happen.

What can you do every single day to get you another tiny step closer to what you want to achieve.

When it comes to my fitness goals, I know for absolute certain that it will happen for me. How? Because the magic is in the doing. Every single day I’m doing something to support my goal. Getting to the gym, eating well, getting outside, drinking my water. They are all small steps that done once, show almost no results, but with consistency and commitment, my desired outcome is undeniable. Is it always comfortable? Helll no. Play the long game!

Imperfect action is still action!

Life happens and you’re not always going to have 100% to give, but even the tiniest steps will add up. Keep going and give yourself grace when needed too.

Step 4.

Keep track of your wins. Big or small and anything in-between, write them down! It’s hard to tell that you’re on the right track and sometimes you feel the pressure to throw in the towel. This is the perfect defence system to calling it quits.

It’s important to note here.. your wins are -your- wins. There is no scoreboard, so celebrate what is special to you regardless of what anyone else is doing. Sure, you can look to others for inspiration and encouragement, but do your very best not to compare your wins with anyone else around you. You do you, darling.

Step 5.

Recalibrate. If you’re finding that you’re not moving in the direction you’d hoped, don’t give up on the goal, but refine your approach. Maybe your to-do’s need a new timeline? Maybe you need to commit a little more time, or maybe you just need a day off. Don’t be hard on yourself here, success is not a straight line.

Success tip: Hire a coach! A coach can often see what you might be missing and along with the support they offer in terms of mind set, expertise and accountability; you could reach your goals light years ahead of where you would on your own.

Step 6.

Make it fun!!
It’s not always going to be sunshine and roses and there will be times when the tasks ahead do not appeal to you. Outline ahead of time what you think you’ll procrastinate and either find a way to make that task a fun game or pre-plan a reward for yourself!

PSA

It’s completely normal to feel discouraged, overwhelmed and frustrated along the way. It’s also one helluva rush when you finally reach the finish line. Pun intended!

Put your focus on what could go amazing and watch the magic happen!