Creating a Fitness Mission Statement.

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my form of fitness.

I believe in the power of intention.

I look to my vision board as a source of motivation and inspiration.

I turn to my gratitude board as a reminder of what I’m thankful for.

I have a personal mission statement.

I’ve revamped my blog’s mission statement.

I possess a spiritual mission statement.

We’ve worked together to create a family mission statement.

The older I get, however, the more I’ve realized none of the above work if I’m not simultaneously healthy.

If I don’t concurrently have a FITNESS mission statement.

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#wycwyc works…but I’m craving more.

Confession: I’ve neglected my Fitness Mission Statement for a few years.

I’m not busy — it just hasn’t been a priority.

I knew I could remain (relatively) fit by virtue of my day-to-day responsibilities. My life was active enough I didn’t need to make time to “identify my why” and create a plan.

I need one now. It’s time.

Recently, instead of feeling gratitude for the quick bouts of fitness in my day, I’ve begun to long for clear intention when it comes to healthy living.

A return to having a Fitness Mission Statement.

What is a Fitness Mission Statement?

A Fitness Mission statement is an announcement of purpose. It’s an answer to the questions why are we here? what’s the point? written with the backdrop of what you value in life.

A Fitness Mission Statement contains sentences which have a goal that is an action. A stringing together of words which are quantifiable not vague.

A Fitness Mission Statement takes trial & error (like all aspects of healthy living, right?). Creating the perfect one (for you) can take time, but the result should be a group of sentences which motivate/inspire you *every time* you read them.

Is a Fitness Mission Statement a list of workout routines/competition goals?

A Fitness Mission Statement is not a workout plan. Nowhere in your statement are you committing to X race on Y day or announcing a plan to shed X pounds by Y date.

Fitness Mission Statements help us plan routines to achieve goals. The F.M.S. is the umbrella underneath which we place our specifics (goals/programs).

A statement might read: To live a long, active, healthy life extolling the power of play and practicing what I preach and from there one would choose the method/activity for achievement.

A statement should provide clues to answer the question: what approach to healthy living should I choose? Are your goals endurance? Does your statement mention flexibility? Do you choose to focus on gaining strength/power?

How do you create a Fitness Mission statement?

  • Be brief.  Mine is eight words.  Some create acronyms. Others write 3-4 sentences. Do what works best for you and keep it clear, concise, and terse. Begin by brainstorming a list of words which describe how you like to move your body and how you feel when you do so.
  • Ask yourself: Why am I here?  The next time you exercise (however that looks for you!) pose this question to yourself. Consider what prompted you to choose to move that day/what your end-goals are. Clarity about where you are going is the surest way to get there.
  • Identify your focus (e.g: leadership, improved overall health, increased strength). Consider who you aspire to be in the fitness realm of your life. A lean, mean machine? A more calm, centered you? A role model? A coach? Be specific.
  • What would the *ideal* end result look like? Remember, this is your ideal. Not the ideal society tells us we “should” have/desire.
  • Be positive. Do not include anything you dislike about yourself. Take any negative urges (I hate my fat thighs and stomach) and turn them inside out (CrossFit will give me the sleek leg muscles I desire).
  • Include how healthy habits/behaviors will impact relationships. Through the practice of yoga I will be more calm and far less tempted to rip the husband, children or coworkers a new one.
  • Create a statement which is in harmony with your personal mission statement if you have one (I will walk consistently and through this grow more patient, have lowered blood pressure and be increasingly present throughout my day). Be certain all your values are in alignment.

The next step is to start writing and to give it time.

For me creating a F.M.S. required writing, putting away for a few days, rereading/tweaking and only then did I experienced my yes! this is it!! moment.

I’d created a phrase so ‘right’ it energizes me on the days Id rather slack than workout.

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My F.M.S. motivates me on days when I look like this.

Now you:

  • Do you already have a Fitness Mission Statement?
  • If not, what might your Fitness Mission Statement say?

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Comments

  2. This makes me SO HAPPY!!! Yes to FMS!
    I am also talking about “finding your why” today which absolutely does not include how much you weigh.
    I cannot wait to see what you do…:-)

  3. I need something like this. I am as you are and that I haven’t completely lost my fitness, yet I think I think I’m wandering.

  4. No mission statement….but I would have to say that my workouts are tantamount to my work. If I don’t get something in early morning, I am not my best with my kiddos who need my guidance and instruction. I have less energy for them. Running, cycling or swimming keep me in shape for all those deep knee bends to tie a shoe, wipe a tear, get down face-to-face with those who can’t communicate….my 50 kids keep me going.

  5. You know I love a good mission statement. Writing my life and blog mission statement this summer was so helpful even though I was still figuring out my ultimate direction. Love this!

    • I love how you phrase that too as I think too often we (*raises hand*) think we need to know PRECISELY where we wanna end up before we can even begin writing a statement of purpose or a mission statement. A general and vague idea works too! 🙂

  6. Have you written about core values before?
    I’d be curious to read more about that and how I might tend to find my cord pallets. I’d like to do a mission statement for a number of areas in my life.

  9. You may have just convinced me to do this, Carla. I am beginning again after a recent illness and a mission statement might help me to stay serious about it. I will let you know what I come up with!

    • YES!!!! Id love to hear what you decide. I also think it could help you stay clear and focused and remember to BE KIND TO YOURSELF as you heal and get back to moving your body.

  10. I don’t have a specific mission statement, but love love love Bikram yoga! I try to go 4-5 times a week. Have you tried it? It is a big workout and you leave the room feeling very energized, but also calm.

  12. This is such a great idea. Creating a mission statement for my blog made it easier to find my true purpose among all the distractions. Why couldn’t that work for fitness too? Not gonna lie, I’m going to need to reread this when I can focus a bit more, but it’s definitely something I want to create for myself!

  13. Brilliant. I never thought of doing this. I always beat myself up for not getting enough exercise and getting healthy needs to be a priority in my life.

    • And I really believe the FMS can end the “beating self up” as well. When you start to feel “less than” revisiting your FMS can remind you doing XYZ isnt your goal! Something else is…

  14. This is a good idea, Carla. For me, one thing I’ve noticed is that my fitness mission statement changes over time, but my intent does not.

  15. Me. I need one. I’ve been having a good month eating-wise but my fitness and motivation there are out the window. Between being sick and the cold weather? Gone. Kaput. I need one. Thanks for the kick in the butt reminder.

    • And that nails it for so many of my clients when they created these as well. One woman ended up with her short statement as a TATTOO (!) as she said it motivated her that much (!).

  17. I love this. I have created mission statements for various parts of my life… but never a FITNESS Mission Statement. 🙂 Now… adding that to my to do list (wink). I love it! 🙂

  18. OMG, once again, you so very much inspire me to take better care of myself. Now…I must create my fitness mission statement. And be positive.

    • I’ll never forget doing this with a client once and she came in SUPER EXCITED about her statement which was all filled with negative remarks about how she looked now (granted it was filled with optimism about what she would become…but…). For me it was that AH HA! moment which sparked me to realize I needed to clarify NO NEGATIVITY in the statements. Turn those words/thoughts inside out 🙂

  19. What a great idea. It can be easy to just kind of go with the flow and not really focus on why we are doing certain things. I love any kind of mission statements bc they help me really think about my life and focus on what I want (and don’t).

    • YES. and for me the easiest one to kind of go with the flow and NOT think about until I was in an “emergency” situation was my spiritual mission statement. for sure.

  20. I don’t have an actual fitness mission statement, but it would probably say something about chasing the fountain of youth…

    Actually on my blog I do have the statement: because sitting on the sidelines is no fun. When the boys were little I loved that I could do anything they were doing–my youngest plays rugby and his coach does CrossFit-like workouts with them. He told me that I could totally keep up with them.

    That’s the goal.

  22. Fitness mission statement… hmmm… I think mine changes with the seasons because of races, but I always try to remember that I do this stuff because I *enjoy* it… if I didn’t, I could find something else to be active at that didn’t take all the time, effort, and gear triathlon does… 🙂

  24. Like everybody else, I like this. I’ve never had a FMS because fitness used to come so easily to me. That’s no longer the case. I think that for me, the FMS has to come before the other mission statements. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in “life goals” and forget that without health, any quality of life, any goals are difficult to achieve. Must work on this.

  26. I never have had a fitness statement but I guess I live it… I love muscles – that is just me BUT I also do the necessary other stuff I don’t like as much to reach my own personal end goal. I think I am different from some since I do it no matter what… I work out & eat decent even when I may not feel like it…

    I guess for now mine would be. GROW OLD WITH MUSCLES & MOTIVATE ALL AGES ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF MUSCLES. 🙂

  27. right in the feels!

    I’ve been so lazy here. Yes, I’ve been consistently active…mostly…but man oh man, I’m still struggling with coming off my failed marathon last year. dangit.

  28. Don’t have one, and it would have to include that i want to stay fit and able to take as much care of myself as possible as late into my life as possible.

  29. My fitness mission statement is IMPOUNDED… INGRAINED… BRANDED into my brain…. DO IT – EVERY SINGLE DAY.

    Do you know ANYONE who regrets working out when they’re done? NOPE … Endorphins are the best thing on the face of the planet. And that thought alone makes me SO HAPPY and MOTIVATED TO WORKKKKK OUT! 😀

  30. I don’t know that I do have one, but my statement for the year is “find joy in the journey” so if I don’t like the workout, I have decided it’s not worth it

  31. I’ve never had a fitness mission statement. Right now there is only that small voice inside my head that keeps pushing me forward and challenging me to be better (in my life as a whole). It’s working. But perhaps an actual mission statement would help me even more.

  34. I’ve never written a fitness mission statement…I’m not sure why I haven’t! Putting thoughts into words and words onto paper is such a good way to solidify what we want to achieve!

  36. I love this! :] I have a general mission statement, but not a fitness one! I’ll have to start thinking of one–“leading by example/practicing what I preach” is gonna have to be in there somewhere!

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