5 min
If you’re reading something from me for the first time, it’s probably because you’re feeling that New Year energy, you’ve done your research, and you realize that Yellow Rose Fitness is THE training facility and coaching team to work with in Oak Forest and Garden Oaks in 2026 (I mean, we have been for the past 9 years, but it’s really real now 🕺🏻).
We love this for you.
But we have a ton of experience seeing others go a little too hard, too quickly.
They set a big goal.
They go ALL IN.
They burn out.
They feel like they failed, and they wait months or even years before they start again.
If this sounds familiar, I’m really, really glad you’re reading this right now.
You’re not alone. The truth is, most people don’t fall short because they’re lazy or unmotivated. They fall short because the goal wasn’t built for their real, actual life in the first place.
Let’s talk about how to set goals that actually work… for your body, your schedule, your sanity, and your happy.
“Lose 20 pounds” or “get more energy” is truly vague. It’s dependent on a zillion different variables. Instead of focusing on the finish line, I want you to focus on the starting line, and what behaviors you’ll need to engage in to set yourself up for success for the goals that you want to achieve.
Examples:
💪 I will strength train 3x a week.
🚶♂️➡️ I will walk after dinner 5 nights this week.
🍗 I will have a lean protein source at every meal.
Not only is this doable, it’s trackable. And when things are doable and trackable, that’s how momentum builds. When momentum is built, you’re rocking with a level of consistency that keeps you going, and delivers results.
Behaviors > Outcomes.
You don’t need a 12-month master plan. None of us really do when it comes to our health and fitness. Why? Because 90 days is enough time to see change without getting completely overwhelmed. Plus, a year is a long time. Think back to January 2025. I’m sure something in your life was completely different by the time December came around. It’s unrealistic to think that your January and December are going to look the same.
Set your behaviors for the next 90 days, not the whole year. After those 90 days, check in with yourself, review the past 90 days, and set some new behaviors for the next 90 days.
BONUS TIP FROM ME (a guy who has been helping people with this for 17 years): It’s really important that you go through some 90 day periods in a year without any major health or fitness behaviors that you’re trying to execute. I call it “wintering.” It’s like when the trees lose their leaves and focus on preservation and maintenance rather than growing. But the cool part is you can “winter” whenever the hell you want to. My personal favorite is to winter during summer. Mainly because I love a good juxtaposition, but also it just feels right for the natural rhythms of my year.
DOUBLE BONUS TIP: If you aren’t sure how to set these 90 day plans, schedule a strategy session with me or someone on our team. Completely free. Members or not. Just click the link below and schedule it!
At Yellow Rose, we don’t believe in chasing perfection. Never have. Never will. We don’t believe in chasing elite standards of fitness. We don’t have a “go hard or go home” mentality. We know that real life happens, and that perfection with your fitness would mean too many trade offs in the rest of your life that most only realize after they’ve been miserable for too long.
We believe in Advancing Happy — choosing behaviors that make us feel strong, clear-headed, and proud over time. Engaging in said behaviors despite our feelings because we know the desired feelings are going to come out on the other side (has your mood ever been worse after a workout? Not a chance).
👉Ask yourself weekly:
If you’re saying “yes” to these 60-70% of the time, that’s progress. We tend to attract high achieving individuals around here, which means we have to continue to fight the perfection mentality. A+’s are great, but life is a lot different than school. We no longer have the capacity or energy to get an A+ in every arena of your life. The good news is that “C’s get degrees” when it comes to fitness. As long as you’re cruising along with a C average for the fitness behaviors you wish to engage in, you’re actually achieving an A+.
I want to be reincarnated as Fred Rogers one day, but I’m going to get a jumpstart on that by telling you that I love you just the way you are.
But sometimes, the little voice (or voices, if you’re me), like to tell us certain things that hold us back. They remind us of past failures and love to pump up the guilt and shame whenever we mess up just a little bit.
So I want you to focus on embracing an identity, not just habits.
This is an example I use all the time. If you want to get wealthier, you embrace the identity of a wealthy person and you do what they do.
If you want to get healthier, you embrace the identity of a healthy person and do what they do.
Health is wealth.
Behaviors and goals get slippery when life gets loud.
And guess what? Life will get loud. It probably already has for you and it’s only January 6th as I write this.
Having a community, a coach, a crew in a class you love, or a group who checks in on you is how you keep going, and how these fitness behaviors and goals get sticky, not slippery.
At Yellow Rose, that’s what we’re built for.
Real humans, real support and accountability, real consistency.
We’re here to help you advance your happy, and help you unlock your healthiest and happiest life.
If that sounds good to you, you can book a free consultation right here: FREE CONSULTATION.
Or, email me at [email protected] and we can chat a bit more.
See you at the gym!
-Clark
Chat with a coach to discover how our programs can fit into your lifestyle and help you achieve your goals. Let’s get you started on your fitness journey today!
