When you want to achieve a certain fitness goal there WILL be problems and barriers that you must face head on.

Sometimes the situation can feel a bit overwhelming but it will be up to you to work past and break down any barriers that block you from achieving your desired goal(s).

In order to simplify this process and prevent you from getting super frustrated, there’s a simple system that walks you through the problem solving process so you can easily find or come up with a decent solution to your problem.

The system I’m talking about is the I.D.E.A system. Each letter represents a stage where you must act on certain actions. It’s easy, quick and takes minutes to do.

I – Identify The Problem

The very first thing you need to do is choose one barrier that’s a problem for you and write it down on a piece of paper (find a piece of paper and pen right now and follow along as you read this article).

After writing down your problem I want you to think about how this affects you from being active. Next write down the most important details about your barrier. So for example if you travel a lot you might say that your concern is that you get to cook your meals.

D – Develop a List of Solutions

Brainstorm as many solutions you can think of. Have your family and friends help you out if you want to speed up the process.  Don’t worry if the solutions are good or bad, workable or unrealistic – you’re just brainstorming here so just go with the flow.  Write down you solution and keep thinking of some in the next couple days. Whatever you think of will go on that list.

Will you let this stop you from achieving your goals?

E -Evaluate The Solutions

This is where we get into the nitty-gritty. Some solutions might look a bit unrealistic, but review them carefully and think of one that you could realistically and willingly apply to your problem.  Don’t think of this as a big deal, you’re just trying it out.

The next thing you should do is plan out how you’re going to execute and take action on your solution.

A- Analyze How Well Your Plan Worked

The last part of this process is seeing how well your plan worked. Honestly examine what did and did not work.  Then revise your plan of action and try it out again. You’re just simply eliminating what doesn’t work and enhancing what does so you set yourself up for guaranteed success.

Once you’ve used the system successfully apply it to other problems and barriers you face in your life.  It’ll help you organize your thoughts, eliminate the feeling of being overwhelmed, and give you solutions to tackle your problems.  :-D

Try it out and let me know what you think and as usual if you have any comments or questions please leave ‘em below!