John Colver loves goals, but he’s dubious of New Year’s resolutions.
“The history of them is a disaster,” he said.
He’d rather focus on big goals rather than rules — and it doesn’t need to be something you can accomplish in a month or even a year.
Colver is an outdoor fitness author and coach. He founded Adventx, based in Seattle, which offers fitness training for people preparing for outdoor adventures. He has guided more than 100 summit climbs of Mount Rainier. He also wrote the book “Fit By Nature,” which offers a training program for outdoor enthusiasts.
In other words, he knows a lot about setting and reaching goals, and helping others do the same.
For me, the New Year always seems like a time for dreaming and setting goals. I like to pull out maps and think big. And I think many other outdoor enthusiasts do the same. With that in mind, I talked to Colver about how to set goals, both for fitness and for life, and how to make them a reality.
How do you find motivation to improve your fitness?
Colver says that if you want better results, you need to find a concrete goal. A resolution to get in shape is difficult to stick to because it’s abstract. By the same note, a desire to look great in a swimsuit might not motivate you for long. But working toward a backpack trip to somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit, that might really get you moving. And if what you like is hiking, for instance, the great thing is that you can use hiking as your training.
How do you set a goal?
Colver likes to think about goals in the short term and the long term.
Where do you want to be in three months? Six months? A year? Five years? 20 years?
Would you like to be standing at the top of Mount Rainier? Or perhaps you’d like to through-hike the Pacific Crest Trail?
If you’re not sure, ask yourself, “What would I do if I knew I could not fail?”
If you’re still feeling stuck, get creative. Consider making an inspiration board. Pinterest is an easy way to do this. Do a broad search for whatever interests you. Then pay attention to those things that catch your eye over and over again. Let your intuition guide you.
How do you prepare for a big, challenging goal?
First, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, Colver says, think back on a time you succeeded. Maybe you graduated from law school. Maybe you finished a long race. Think on how, while that was hard, it was worth it.
Then think on your goal. What is a reasonable time frame for that? What sort of physical fitness do you have now? What level of fitness would you need to be able to meet your goal?
Then break it down into manageable chunks. Say, for instance, you want to climb Mount Rainier, but currently don’t get any exercise. This might be a goal that needs a year and a half to come to fruition. For a three-month goal, plan to be able to hike five miles. For this summer, plan a major hike or climb, something that challenges you and moves you closer to your goal.
Then, once you’ve met that goal, keep looking forward. Build more fitness, do more hiking and by the following summer, you could be standing on the top of Mount Rainier.
How do you keep motivated?
Remember, whatever your goal, give yourself some time and be patient. Colver says it takes about five weeks to feel a difference when you start on a fitness program.
“A lot of people quit at about three weeks because they don’t feel a difference,” he said.
When you start, take it easy on yourself.
“No pain, no gain is a myth” Colver said. No one wants to stick with an activity that hurts. If you feel pain, it’s a sign you need to fix something.
Colver believes that the experience of being out in nature is powerful and motivating, and has many advantages over building fitness simply by going to a gym.
“I really believe these days that the natural beauty itself is very, very powerful,” he said. “The same reasons that John Muir wanted to go out in nature is the same reasons many people want to get outdoors, even if we can’t verbalize it. I think about it on a biochemical level. If we set a goal and go to a beautiful place, we get a positive biochemical effect and it sets us up for success.”
In other words, it’s a self-reinforcing cycle.
How do you stay motivated in the winter?
First off, Colver says to remember that we naturally feel a bit less energy in the winter. So don’t beat yourself up. But that doesn’t mean you need to spend six months on the couch. Invest in some decent wet-weather gear and go for a hike. Plan to bring along friends, because it’s more fun and makes it more likely you’ll actually go. If the weather turns out to be a true disaster, take a long walk around the city. Aim for some hills and anytime it gets truly awful, aim for a coffee shop.
Colver says there are three factors we need to consider: Cold, dark and wet. You can only have two out of three, or you’re going to have a morale problem. Plan your outdoor fun accordingly.
“Fit By Nature”
If you need some help getting in shape for your big goals, check out “Fit By Nature” by John Colver. The book is set up in 12-week cycles. Colver points out that this neatly corresponds to the seasons. So right now, at the start of winter, would be a great time to begin.
For a kick-start to your fitness, check out the Daily Dozen, 12 exercise which take just 12 minutes to complete, but that improve your strength and fitness.
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