SMART goals are what you set. CHARM is how you achieve them. You know all about setting SMART goals and the importance of making your objectives specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based. The next step is using CHARM – consistency, honesty, accountability, re-evaluating and motivation to achieve them.
C – Consistency
Once, occasionally, now and again…these are not enough. Achieving your goal requires you to take action, consistently, over time. If you’ve got your sights set on a long-term goal, break it down and work towards smaller, more specific goals that take you closer to the overall objective. As long as you take consistent action, you will continuously develop.
H – Honesty
Honesty is one of the key factors to success. It’s about being honest with yourself when setting your goal. Is it really for me? Can I achieve it? Am I willing to put in the hard work? It’s about being honest when you train: Not skipping any sessions, completing the workout, doing the exercises correctly. You can lie to others, but your goals know the truth and the only person you’re cheating is yourself.
A – Accountability
We always say that the best thing about joining a training group is that training with others makes you accountable. You’re less likely to skip a session when you’ve got someone waiting for you at the training ground and a training buddy can also provide honest support and feedback to help you stay motivated, consistent and developing.
R – Re-evaluating
By breaking your goal down into smaller ones you can regularly re-evaluate and adapt your objective and also your training to ensure you’re still developing in the right way. Be willing to try new things and add variety.
M – Motivation
Motivation is our reason to act. It’s the driving force behind our actions and is shaped by our environment. You can stay motivated by reminding yourself why you’re doing this. Or you can change your environment so it has a positive effect on your goal. External disturbances mean you require more volition to work against them, so remove all the external disturbances that could potentially have a negative influence on your progress.
