"Trying" is not a goal

stumblinthrulife · March 2013

I just posted this on another thread, but thought it deserving of a wider audience. I see a lot of people talking about 'trying'. I can't help but think of trying as being the language of someone who expects to fail. Anyone can try, and if you mentally set your goal as 'trying', then you let yourself off the hook. "Ah well, I tried."

In business we're taught to set SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely. For my weight loss and fitness goals, I personally focus on the first three. Make your goals specific, measurable and attainable.

Goals like these will lead to success (your actual goals may vary, I made these up randomly) :

"I will keep a detailed food diary for the next year, and will log everything honestly"
"I will consistently eat below my calorie needs until I reach my goal weight of 155 pounds"
"Once at my goal weight, I will consistently eat within +/- 100 calories of my TDEE, and continue track my weight"
"I will consistently eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day"
"I will do a 30 minute cardio workout 3 times a week, and build and maintain the ability to run 5km in 25 minutes"
"I will do one hour of resistance training 3 times a week, and get and stay strong enough to deadlift 300lb"

Goals like these will not :

"I will get fitter" (You get fitter after every workout, so you could quit after any workout and still succeed)
"I will get in shape" (What shape? What do you actually want to be able to do? How will you know when you meet your goal?)
"I will eat better" (Better than what? Does better actually have to be 'good', or just not as bad? Only gaining 1 pound a week is better than gaining 2, after all)
"I will try to be better" (Trying is for people who expect to fail. We can all succeed at 'trying' with very little effort)

NCchar130 · March 2013

I needed this reminder, thanks for posting. :flowerforyou:

Jamcnair · March 2013

Good thoughts

emmymcq · March 2013

Couldn't have said it better myself. Very well done. :flowerforyou:

cwolfman13 · March 2013

QFT

jenhanke · March 2013

This is excellent! I've started to realize that since I stopped saying "I'm trying," I feel so much more empowered. I am finally not "trying," I am "doing," and I am DOING it 100%. Everything you said makes so much sense; I really hope people will read it and take it seriously. If it's okay with you, I'd like to post it on my Facebook page for my friends to see.

retiree2006 · March 2013

Excellent way to point out the difference between "trying" and actually "doing". Thanks.

TR0berts · March 2013

lqmustang · March 2013

Bah, you beat me to it! lol

The the OP, excellent post, my philosophy exactly!

Whipppets · March 2013

Don't talk, just do it.

Shock_Wave · March 2013

I am pro try/trying

How do you know if you can or cannot do some thing unless you try the experience. Give it your best shot and see what happens.

I will try to keep logging in my diary for a year. Most days I can and some days because of things that are out of my control I cannot, but as long as I stay focused on trying to hit my goals every day I will be succeeding in my goals, and not feel like a failure by not trying at all.

weatheredcheese · March 2013

Great post, like you said "Trying is not a goal", before now I have "Tried" to lose weight but at the beginning of the year I actually did it and am continuing to do so. Haven't started any weight training yet but I am going to do it, not gunna try just going to.

Shock_Wave · March 2013

Great post, like you said "Trying is not a goal", before now I have "Tried" to lose weight but at the beginning of the year I actually did it and am continuing to do so. Haven't started any weight training yet but I am going to do it, not gunna try just going to.

ok how will you know how heavy to start off your weight lifting? So unless you try several weights you won't know which lb weight good for you. Say you want to bench 600 lbs but you can only get up to 300lbs because of your body genetics are you still going to try or quit? If you keep trying you still may not be able to lift 600 lbs but you are improving regardless rather than not trying at all. So to achieve your goal you must try and with out trying you have no chance at that goal.

My0WNinspiration · March 2013

Great post, like you said "Trying is not a goal", before now I have "Tried" to lose weight but at the beginning of the year I actually did it and am continuing to do so. Haven't started any weight training yet but I am going to do it, not gunna try just going to.

ok how will you know how heavy to start off your weight lifting? So unless you try several weights you won't know which lb weight good for you. Say you want to bench 600 lbs but you can only get up to 300lbs because of your body genetics are you still going to try or quit? If you try you still may not be able to lift 600 lbs but you are improving regardless rather than not trying at all.

You completely missed the whole point of her post.

Shock_Wave · March 2013

Great post, like you said "Trying is not a goal", before now I have "Tried" to lose weight but at the beginning of the year I actually did it and am continuing to do so. Haven't started any weight training yet but I am going to do it, not gunna try just going to.

ok how will you know how heavy to start off your weight lifting? So unless you try several weights you won't know which lb weight good for you. Say you want to bench 600 lbs but you can only get up to 300lbs because of your body genetics are you still going to try or quit? If you try you still may not be able to lift 600 lbs but you are improving regardless rather than not trying at all.

You completely missed the whole point of her post.

I don't get poetry either, but its not just black and white. There are grey areas.