This post is rated Sprinters, Olympians and Ironman.

Day 5 of our SMART goals analysis.

Do you have a TIMELINE associated with your goals?

Timing creates urgency. A goal without a deadline WILL NOT BE REALIZED. I don’t care how great your intentions may be, goals with open-ended destinations will continue to be goals and never lead to accomplishments.

If you plan to do any kind of race this year, your timeline will be built in for you. Think about that for a moment…if you register for a 10K, pay your entry fee and tell your friends of your plans; you have just made yourself accountable. Now there are other people in your life who are aware of your timeline. This is a sneaky successful strategy for making your goals timely!

Timing also increases focus. If you know that your race is 4 weeks away, you can determine your current fitness level and also where it needs to be. You cannot run 5 miles 3 times per week over the course of 2 months and expect to perform well in a half-marathon. I think most people understand this, but it is not always as intuitive to plan your mental approach. Training volume changes as the proximity of your event draws nearer.

If you don’t have a race planned for the year, I would encourage you to get one on the calendar. This is the best example I can give when it comes to assigning timeliness to your goals. This will force you to plan for periodic training and will also add the element of urgency and a feeling of progress.

SO…GO GET A WATCH AND ATTACH IT SECURELY TO YOUR GOALS!