Sometimes it’s good to see your goal in a tangible way. Tangible means physical, like you can touch it.

Disappointment with Crossfit

I remember one morning after I finished my Crossfit workout, I stretched a bit and gathered my things. As I was leaving, I saw the guys and girls who were competing for the regional team start to warm up for their workout.

We had just finished the “Open,” which is a Crossfit competition that is open to everyone. Our gym had qualified for regionals, which was the next round of competition. The top guys and girls in our gym were working out together, preparing for that next step in the competition.

That’s where I wanted to be.

But that morning, I wasn’t good enough. My scores in the “Open” competition weren’t strong enough to make it to the next level. And so I had to watch the other guys and girls warm up. If I was honest with myself, I felt jealous. I wished I were in their place. I felt frustrated as I drove home from the gym.

See Your Goal in a Tangible Way

However, even though I felt bad at the time, I think it was good for me to see those guys and girls warming up that morning. By watching them warm up, I could see my goal in a tangible way. It wasn’t something up in the air, unable to be grasped. I could see my goal, touch my goal, almost taste my goal. It was real to me.

When a goal is real to me, I’m more likely to do the things that need to be done in order to put myself in position to reach my goal. I’m more likely to get up early, complete my workouts with high intensity, stick to my diet, and persist when I’m tired. If I do those things, I’m more likely to actually obtain my goal.

If you are working toward a goal, and having trouble making progress, think about how to make the goal tangible. Is there a way to see your goal up close, feel your goal, touch your goal, or taste your goal? Engage your senses. Journal about your goal. Meet up with someone who is where you want to be. Discuss your goal with others who can support you. If you want to make progress toward a goal, make the goal as real as possible.

Discussion: What is one goal you are working toward? What is one thing you could do that would make your goal more tangible?