Sean Barcellona

The future can be a scary place.

There are unknowns, uncertainties, and challenges waiting for us. Sometimes, we prevent ourselves from thinking about the future because it can give us anxiety, depression, or doubt. But when we prevent ourselves from planning for our future, we prevent ourselves from creating the future we want.

What do you want to do with your life? What are your dreams, goals and ambitions? Ask yourself those questions. You have to know what you are working towards in order to put together a plan to get there. Reaching our goals takes hard work and persistence.

When we prevent ourselves from planning for our future, we prevent ourselves from creating the future we want.

To be successful, it takes doing the right thing day after day, month after month, and year after year. We’re all capable of doing this if we’re passionate about what we do, and we remind ourselves why we’re doing it.

Let’s break it down. Keep the following tips in mind when you’re setting goals and taking the steps to achieve them.

1. Don’t be afraid of failure. Instead, use it as a learning experience and apply those lessons to your future.

2. Break it up. Create smaller goals on the way to your larger goal.

3. Don’t dwell in the past! Whether something good or bad happened, give yourself 24 hours to reflect and learn, then move on.

4. Take it day by day. Focus on giving your best effort today! Don’t focus on what you have to do tomorrow.

5. Give your dream purpose. When you set a goal bigger than yourself it holds you accountable and gives you that extra push when you feel like giving up.

Working toward a dream can feel a lot like hiking a mountain. Our goal is to get to the top and enjoy the view, but we have to start at the bottom and work our way up until we get where we want to be.

There are plenty of up’s and down’s, unexpected challenges, and setbacks during the journey, but we have to stay focused on our goal and continue putting one foot in front of the other.

The easy thing to do is turn back and head down the mountain. It’s not easy to keep climbing when you’re tired, but nothing worth achieving is easy. You have to push yourself outside your comfort zone, you have to keep taking that next step, and eventually you will get to the top and get to enjoy that view you worked so hard to reach.

Anyone is capable of accomplishing great things—it just takes patience, determination and an unyielding optimism.

Looking up at the mountain from the bottom can be intimidating and can even prevent you from starting your hike to the top. But don’t let it.

Instead, when you have a big goal you’re working toward, break it down and focus on taking that next step—don’t think about the entire journey. Anyone is capable of accomplishing great things—it just takes patience, determination and an unyielding optimism. Make the choice to take that next step!

Sean Barcellona is a trainer at Burn Boot Camp Cornelius (North Carolina) as well as a Burn HQ employee. He began his journey with Burn in 2017 and is the man behind the daily protocol, continually creating unique workouts for all Burn Boot Camp locations across the nation. He is passionate about hiking, exercise, and spending time with his wife, Lindy, who also works at HQ.

The phrase, “Go Big or Go Home,” is a great one to abide by in most cases. But, when beginning a new walk of life into becoming a healthier you, the key is to start small. The reason behind starting small is to keep up momentum by reaching goal after goal.

Someone who says, “I want to lose 250 pounds in a month,” might feel more overwhelmed and less motivated than someone who says, “I’m going to lift the 20lbs Dumbbells today.”

Ready, Set, Goal!

Ryne Robinson, Head Trainer at Burn Boot Camp Fort Mill walks us through ways we can set (and reach) manageable goals for ourselves. He shares his own story with us and how these goal setting rules fueled his determination to crush his goals. By setting goals, he held himself accountable each day.

The Rules

1. Set manageable, but challenging goals – be sure that your goals are reachable, but are making you better, faster and stronger. 
2. Make an active list daily, weekly and monthly – plan ahead and check it off as you go by making it to camp and prepping healthy meals (i.e. no excuses!)
3. Don’t worry about outside influences – you are your own person, don’t allow negativity to stifle your ability to reach your goal. 
4. Tell yourself, “I can” – you can do anything you put your mind to. 
5. Motivate yourself and others – by giving a high-five, you help others reach their goals.

Ask yourself, “Did you get better today?” If you did, keep challenging yourself each and every day. If you didn’t, move in a different direction towards your goal.

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