COMMUNITY: Fitness tip

Editor's note: Adam Rees is founder of GRIT GYM, a gym based on results, creating a culture and lifestyle of performance, strength, health and freedom to live life on your own terms. Rees attended Wartburg, worked under nationally recognized strength coach Matt McGettigan at ISU and is generally a glutton for information and improvement in all forms.

By Adam Rees, community contributor

What are you doing today?

When talking “goals” in today's world, the cart is almost always put ahead of the horse.

The high school athlete says “I want to be a state champ.”

Well that's great, but you're not playing for the state championship today. It may be the first game of the season and if that athlete's head is in the last game of the season she or he isn't going to play up to their potential.

Don't do this.

It's good to have goals, but until there is a plan behind those goals, and this plan can be day to day, those goals are useless.

The point is to do the absolute best you can to develop your body, mind and skills every day. This will take care of the goal.

It also will release the athlete of fear that only holds them back, allowing them to remain in the present solely focused on the task at hand - developing their ability or to dominate within the current competition.

It will allow for excitement in the preparation.

Start by taking action on what you can do today. Just like the past cannot serve you other than what you've learned from it, the future hasn't happened yet. It doesn't serve you in any way other than in your preparation for it.

Put these reminders in your pocket - goal setting and present preparation are all about focus.

There are two relevant questions to ask yourself. Where are you? This reminds us to be present. The second question gets us focused to the task:

What are you doing today?

• For more of Rees' advice go to www.GRITGYM.com/resources and adamrees.blogspot.com. Email Rees at adam@gritgym.com