Whether it’s in the workplace, at home, or in any other area of life, being prepared for success is essential. But what does it mean to be prepared for success?
Taking a step back and asking yourself how you can prepare best, not only allows you to make progress with your goal or task but can significantly reduce the stress that might surround it. If you can physically see HOW you will achieve something, then it becomes less daunting.
I want to look at 3 key areas of your life that I believe work in harmony to ensure you can achieve success as a whole in your life and help you to be prepared to tackle anything life throws your way!
Area 1: Prepare yourself mentality
Being mentally prepared for success starts with setting realistic goals. Having too high expectations can lead to frustration and disappointment when those goals are not met. Likewise, having too low of standards can lead to laziness and not reaching your full potential. Make sure your goals challenge and push you but avoid setting unrealistic expectations. Once your goals are set, create a plan on how to reach them and break down each step into manageable tasks, baby steps if you will, that you can easily accomplish. Don’t forget to give yourself breaks along the way – rest will help keep your mind sharp and focused.
Here are 3 practices I incorporate into my routines to help myself be mentally prepared:
Breathe – practice deep breathing exercises that will help to relax your body and mind helping you stay focused.
Visualisation – take the time to imagine yourself performing successfully and how it feels/looks when you have achieved your goals. Creating a vision board can help with this.
Regulate emotions – don’t let negative emotions overcome you. Try to stay in control by writing about how you feel and why you think you feel it. If you’ve had a bad day or lost track of your progress, then work out why so you can try and avoid those triggers in the future.
Area 2: Prepare yourself physically
To be physically prepared for success requires a little more effort than mental preparation. Getting enough sleep is essential – this is the time when your body repairs itself and processes everything you’ve done that day. Ensuring you have regular check-ups with your doctor allows you to stay ahead of any potential health issues that could arise in the future. Finally, exercise is key – not only does it keep your body healthy but physical activity helps boost your moods too.
Here are my 3 top tips for being prepared physically:
Commit – drawing out a schedule and even getting yourself an accountability partner will help you stay committed to regular exercise – whatever that looks like for you.
Build the habit – expanding on from committing – the more you regularly do something, the more it will become ingrained into your everyday routine. Habit stacking, such as packing your gym kit the night before and leaving it by the front door or doing 10 star jumps every time you check social media, will soon become your “norm!”
Make it fun – if it’s fun and you enjoy it then you’re more likely to stick to it. Whether that’s a high-intensity circuit class, dancing or a walk in the park. Do the exercise that lights you up!
Area 3: Prepare yourself nutritionally
Eating right is just as important as exercising when preparing for success since proper nutrition will boost your energy levels and helps you stay focused throughout the day. Incorporating nutrient-dense foods into your diet will provide plenty of vitamins and minerals your body needs and help maintain steady blood sugar levels throughout the day. Planning meals will help ensure you’re getting the right foods into your body. Lastly, drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help flush out toxins from your system so you can operate at peak performance!
Here are my top 5 nutritionally dense foods:
Salmon – not all fish are created equal! Salmon is renownded for its beneficial composition of fatty acids, but it packs massive amounts of other nutrients too.
Kale – of all the leafy greens, kale is king! It’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and various bioactive compounds.
Garlic – not only does it turn bland dishes delicious, but it’s also extremely nutritious. It’s high in vitamins C, B1 and B6 as well as calcium, copper, manganese and selenium.
By planning and preparing these 3 key areas – mental, physical and nutritional – you will be giving your mind, body and soul the boost it needs, helping you be more successful overall in life. Remember – setting realistic goals gives you direction while exercise keeps you healthy and eating right provides you with energy; all these things combined create an effective plan on preparing yourself for any situation! Success awaits – all you have to do is put in the preparation work!
If you want to find out more about how I can help you in all these areas, then have a look at my personal training or membership packages.