How to achieve your goals as an ambitious hobby athlete

Setting ambitious goals as a hobby athlete can seem overwhelming, not to mention extremely difficult. Putting in all the work it takes to run a marathon or build the body of your dreams can feel like a daunting task when you start.

However, do not doubt that you can definitely achieve even the most ambitious athletic goals on which you set your mind. Yes, you can achieve anything with the right approach!

What is the right approach? It’s conscious decision making.

You simply have to be present and make conscious decisions about your life day in and day out. First of all, you need to decide that, yes, you can achieve this goal and get off the couch.

Start by taking your dream, your vague idea, and form it into an attainable goal. Then, take this goal and break it down into several manageable daily decisions into marginal adjustments of your daily routine. Yes, it’s that simple.

The big secret to achieving ambitious goals

In his inspiring speech at TEDx Tucson, Stephen Duneier talks about achieving any goal—no matter how big and ambitious—by making marginal adjustments to your daily routine. Simply making those tiny little decisions can make all the difference when their effects compound.

For example, if you are dreaming about getting into marathon shape, break your goal down into smaller pieces, into specific daily actions that help you move towards the right direction.

• Start by running around the block and keep adding a mile or two to your route every week.
• Keep an eye on your diet, and keep adding healthy and nutritious food and removing sugar and fat gradually. Start by adding less sugar to your coffee or add some honey to your tea. Replace bread and chips with fruit and vegetables.
• Make the training regimen gradually and slowly more demanding by adding a few new elements when your body is ready.

Make the whole undertaking manageable by keeping it actionable and realistic. Make small adjustments to your routine every day. Add the miles gradually to your workout, and increase your time at the gym incrementally. No point in going all out a few times a month and then giving up altogether after a while.

Experience the transformation

When you go down the path of incremental daily improvements, the effect is transformational. Slowly but surely, you will see your body change, and your athletic abilities reach higher levels. When you overcome the obstacle of indecision and frustration, you will see things gradually happening as you decided.

You don’t need me telling you that all those professional athletes you see and admire have spent years improving and fine-tuning their technique.

The British Cycling team was under-performing since 1908 until it became famous for winning 60% of the gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Four years later, at the London Olympic games, they performed even better, and set nine Olympic records and seven world records.

They achieved all that just by implementing minor 1% improvements in their technique every day. Their coach Dave Brailsford is now famous for his approach. They started looking into every area for improvement, no matter how trivial or unexpected. They tested massage gels to determine the most effective one, they painted the inside of the truck white, so they could spot little bits of dust that could degrade the performance of their bikes. They went as far as to test the beds to find the best that would provide the best night’s sleep for each rider. Lots and lots of little things like that amounted to an astounding result.

Changing your mindset

If you feel inspired by the simple and effective idea presented by Stephen Duneier, people at the Extreme Fitness Camps in the Dominican Republic will be happy to provide all the support you need to get started. They offer a variety of fitness regimens that can help you get in shape, learn new things, and have a great time while you are at it. More than anything, you will find a great and very supporting friendly community of professionals that can guide you through your first steps. And even better, it’s right at the beach in the Caribbean! Not to mention their farm-to-table approach! Most of the delicious food they serve comes from their very own organic farm.

Apart from the classic gym programs, you can try calisthenics, plyometrics, HIIT, yoga, and even flying trapeze and circus arts. You’ll be surprised how your fitness will improve while enjoying yourself. Oh, and if you are an ambitious surfer or kitesurfer, we’ve got you covered, too! Both are available right at your doorstep, and as water sports enthusiasts ourselves, we will be more than happy to adapt your training program to improve your performance on the water!

Maybe you do not plan to win a Gold Medal in the next Olympic Games, but you will definitely achieve your most ambitious goals by making adjustments every day. Especially when you get the support, you need to change your mindset and make conscious decisions!

See you at the Fitness Camp!