adventures in goal-setting: how getting clear on your vision can change the direction of your life

Chloe, our Vision & Goals Program Manager here at lululemon, first started working for the company in 2002 as a part-time educator at our Queen Street store in Toronto after hearing about the job from a friend. She was looking to pay the bills and chill out after finishing her undergraduate degree in Fine Arts before embarking on a career as a (band camp alert!) music teacher. When she was hired, Chloe wasn’t really an “athlete,” nevermind a yogi; however, she soon fell in love with the practice of finding her breath and stretching it out on her mat.

A few months into her role, Chloe realized that part of what made her want to be a music teacher was her love of facilitating learning for people. She began focusing on this and consequently became a Store Manager. It was also around this time that Chloe was introduced to the practice of creating a vision for herself and setting goals. Her first reaction was something like this (something a lot of us can probably relate to):

“I am a cool city girl from Toronto who doesn’t read self-help books thankyouverymuch.”

Chloe soon realized, however, that if she was going to facilitate learning for her staff as a Store Manager, she needed to walk the walk and invest in what she was supposed to be teaching (aka drop the too-cool-for-school vibes and open up to the possibility that Vision and Goals could be awesome). She began by setting a vision for her ideal future life in 10 years and then created 1, 5 and 10 year goals for herself (personal, career and health-focused) that would support her in achieving this vision.

Once Chloe got into goal-setting, she realized that it was working: by intentionally writing down and declaring what she wanted, things started to come together. Zing! She realized that she wanted to train people in Vision and Goals and became lululemon’s Training Manager. How did she know she wanted that job? Because her goals and her passions were clear enough that she knew, she had the confidence to declare her goals, and she was around people who supported her in achieving them.

It’s been, ahem, a few years since Chloe first created the training role in Toronto. Since then her life has been pretty rad: she has moved to Vancouver, become the Head of Retail Training for the company, got married to a cool dude, had a baby, backpacked New Zealand and come back to share why vision and goal-setting is badass once more. She isn't teaching music class - instead, she's living the life she was meant to, with her authentic vision acting as her true north.

key takeways from chloe's journey

1.     surround yourself with people who support your goals.

Sometimes the people around us are happy, supportive, honest and will do whatever it takes to support you achieving your goals. Other times there are people who (for whatever reason) cannot get down with what you are striving for. Surround yourself with positive people who are rooting for you and will give you honest feedback - you will find success more easily, promise.

2.     get clear on what you actually want.

Chloe originally thought she wanted to be a music teacher. She told herself that that was what she wanted, plus she had just gotten a fine arts degree, so she should still do it. When she gained the courage to actually declare what she wanted, it became clear to her what her vision is: owning and running a leadership retreat centre where she creates awesome experiential leadership programming. The courage to have a real conversation with yourself about what you really want (not what should happen, but what is POSSIBLE) is when things will begin falling into place. Speaking of that…

3.     set goals from possible, not probable.

Close your eyes and think about what you really want. Not what might or probably will happen, but what you really want for yourself without any caveats getting in the way. It’s remarkable how many of us are doing stuff that has nothing to do with what we actually want. When we shift into the perspective of possibility, we can begin to discover what makes us happy and what looks like an ideal vision for ourselves.

This month we are getting down with setting vision and goals for ourselves! For more on how to create a vision and set goals, check out these worksheets. Share your progress on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #readysetgoals.

Chances are high you’ve seen Tess' name around Twitter and our Facebook page, answering your product questions or handing out virtual high fives for recent goals crushed. As one of our incredibly social savvy team members - Tess spends her days pursuing the internet and chatting with some of the coolest people out there (like you!). The conversations Tess has every day at work consistently inspire her and recently led her to create a badass goal - "the Ambassador Project".

Have you ever had one of those moments where you wonder “Is this real life?” Those happen to me on the regular in my job. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I work in social media. This vague title (much to the confusion of border control officers and my parents – hi, Mum!) allows me the opportunity to spend my days cruising the internet and chatting to some of the raddest people out here – you guys.  I answer tweets about anything from directions to the nearest store to the best places to sweat in your hood. I’m naturally chatty (ask anyone who’s ever been in a room with me) so getting up each morning to hear about all the cool and inspiring things our guests are up to is such a treat.

One group of people that inspire me daily are our  ambassadors. Now, I fully intend on finishing my degree and eventually winding up with my PhD in physiology but if the opportunity arose for me to be a professional marathon cheerleader, I’d drop the textbooks in a heartbeat. The thing is, I love athletes. I have the deepest respect for anyone who is willing to go all out to try something they’ve never done before. Nothing moves me to keep going than knowing that there are people out there getting up to 4am alarms to run track in the rain, juggling schedules to create workouts or showing up on their mats for their students. I’m a person who turns to sweat when things gets rough. I wanted to spend some time getting to know the people that have helped me through some of my darkest hours and might not even know it. It started with a simple declaration and lo, the Ambassador Project was born.

sweats so far

Yin Yoga – Elle Basten

Spin – Mike Porter

Spin – Natasha Lowe

Hot Yoga with Music– Sasha Smith

Hot Yoga – Heather McEwen

Barre Method – Carolyn Williams

the road ahead

I have a long, sweaty road ahead of me which is perfect for working off holiday shortbread and one too many spiked eggnogs.  After the YVR edition is complete, I’m headed to NYC to stretch, spin and sweat with our ambassadors in the city that don’t sleep. I can’t wait to see all of you on the mat, in the box or on the bike.

Feeling inspired? Get out there and get to know the ambassadors in your neighbourhood. Needing inspiration? You know where Tess can be found and she’d be happy to chat about your goals and sweaty pursuits. If you’re an ambassador and you want to sweat with her, leave a note or shoot her a tweet @thatgirlsix with the hashtag #ambassadorproject. Let’s get sweaty!

5:37:34
This is the time it took Kat, our junior people program manager,  to ride her borrowed steel bike from Vancouver to Whistler in her first GranFondo in 2011.

4:00:00
The time she set her sights on to complete the same grueling course in 2012.

How was she going to knock an hour and 37 minutes off her time? By setting a goal, getting the right bike and, of course, training hard.

step 1: find the perfect fit

I knew my borrowed bike just wasn’t going to cut it if I was going to finish sub 4 hours. I began scouring the Vancouver bike scene and was most impressed with The Bike Gallery on West 10^th. They understood that my bike is a part of me and that it’s really important for it to fit perfectly, especially since I have to sit on it for so long! Sidenote: If you’re in the market for a new ride, I highly recommend taking the time to find a shop that is as passionate about cycling as you are – it’ll most definitely be worth every penny thereafter.

step 2: getting fit

It was during that fit session at the bike shop that I discovered FitFX Studio, which was located just down the street. FitFX is a studio dedicated to coaching cyclists indoors and out. When I found out that they offered clinics to teach you how to ride in a group, I knew I had found a community that was going to help me achieve my goal – I was going to be sitting in the midst of 7000 other riders about to start a race, after all.

I began training with them twice a week for the hill series. I loved that I just had to turn up for the ride and Paul, the head coach, would have the route all worked out. Some days it was a ride up our local mountains, other days it was a series of shorter but more intense hill repeats. I learned how to ride in a paceline, which made me feel badass and Paul also gave me other training and nutrition tips along the way.

a hit and a miss

4:16:35. Was my time for the Whistler GranFondo 2012. As I crossed the line, I knew that I had failed to achieve my goal. A mix of emotions overcame me. I wanted to both celebrate and cry, all at the same time! Then, I had a thought; I had set myself an audacious goal. Knocking an hour and 37 minutes off my time is a BFD. I finished the race placing 22^nd in my category, knocked an hour and 21 minutes off last year’s time, had no mechanical issues and finishing feeling well-nourished, hydrated and strong. Even if I missed my time goal, there was still a lot to celebrate and I am so proud of this accomplishment.  Setting and sharing big goals makes me feel vulnerable but I would rather fall a little short of a huge goal than meet a mediocre one.

onwards and upwards

My legs hadn’t even fully recovered by the time I was committing to my next cycling challenge! In the spirit of big goals and vulnerability, I will be riding in the 2013 Gastown Grand Prix, a shorter, faster and much more intense race than the GranFondo… And with a lot more spectators!

what does “vision and goals” mean, anyway?

how V&G came to be at lululemon

As a former competitive athlete, Chip has always been a big believer in setting goals. Prior to creating lululemon in 1998, Chip became very interested in the practice of goal setting and creating a vision - how we as people define and create what we want in our lives. When he saw the power these principles had in his life, he incorporated the practice of vision and goal setting with his team at lululemon. It has been a part of our culture ever since.

why we are sharing this with you

We have seen the power of setting a vision and goals all around us – triathlons, languages learned, health goals achieved, houses bought, job changes (both coming and going from the company)…we’ve seen magical things accomplished that once seemed impossible, or at the very least improbable! We are so passionate about this practice that we want to share it with the world.

the practice of vision and goals

Like yoga, creating vision and goals for your life is a constant practice. Being intentional about how you approach this process will help you get clear about what you want – and how you are going to make it happen.

1.     get connected to your vision.

Find a place you find relaxing and get yourself settled in (think tea, a candle…maybe even sweatpants). Next, close your eyes and think about what your ideal life would be in 10 years if anything was possible. Don’t get caught up in tactics – i.e. “but how would I pay for that” or “that seems unrealistic.” Focus in and think about what this life would look like without caveats.

Pssst....we created worksheets especially for this exercise. Get down on it!

Attention à nos amis francos! Veuillez télécharger les feuilles de travail ici.

2.     determine what your ten-year goals are from this vision (we suggest three areas of your life to begin: personal, health and career).

In order to begin the path to the ideal life you just imagined, we begin by setting ten-year goals. What does this mean? Take a look at your vision. Do you want to sail around the Mediterranean? A few things will need to happen: money for purchase and upkeep, skill…what else?  And what order do these things need to go in for you to be successful?

example:

ten-year goal: I sail the Mediterranean captaining my new sailboat by June 1st, 2023

3.     do the same with five- and one-year goals.

Okay, so here’s the reason we set goals backwards: your five- and one-year goals should support you in attaining your ten-year goals, consequently helping you to your vision. Let’s use our sailboat analogy again.

examples:

five-year goal: I take lessons from the skipper of an America’s Cup vessel by August 1st, 2018

one-year goal: I put $400/month into a high-interest savings boat fund

4.     what can you do right now?

Goals can seem lofty or even unattainable. 50% of the goals on your worksheet should scare you a little – it is when we set these audacious goals that we tap into the life we really desire. This can be both exciting and a little daunting, too.

So what can you do right now? Well, look at your goals. Do you need to be physically fit or have some money set aside to achieve them? Are you accomplishing them by yourself or do you need to enroll other people? Begin planning and executing the things you need to do today in order to get the ball rolling.

vision and goals worksheets

Having a dedicated worksheet or book devoted to your vision and goals practice is key. We have created worksheets to help you brainstorm and ideate on what your vision for your ideal life is, and then also included pages designed to help you create a framework for your goals going forward. Think of this booklet as your vision and goals “hub,” a place for ideas to begin and then take off on their chosen path.

What are your vision & goals and how are you getting there? Share them on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #readysetgoals - we can’t wait to see and hear what you've got cookin'!

"Do what you love. Keep pushing through. The good times will come." - Lisa Brooking

Everyone needs a reminder now and then to do what you love. For our Coquitlam ambassador Lisa Brooking, a tough race turned into a motivational experience that encouraged her to keep following her passion: running.

watch the video

If you were to look up the words “inspiration” and “possibility” in the dictionary we’re quite certain you’d find our former educator, Betsy’s, name listed in their descriptions (hey Oxford, we’re proposing a rewrite). Not only did she find the courage to leave an unfulfilling career in HR to follow her dreams of being a life coach, she also recently crushed a jaw-dropping goal: 365 days of sweat (which is exactly what it sounds like it is).

Rumor has it you set a BHAG to sweat for 365 days. True?
Yes. I am a firm believer of the statement, "you have to live it to give it." As a life coach, I wanted to make sure that I was living a healthy life that had a consistent workout ritual (which I preach often). Not only were my workouts inconsistent, I also knew I was capable of a whole lot more. Last October (2011) I was on a run in a park and the idea popped up in my head. After the run, I came up with a name for the adventure and started blogging that evening. Initially the blog was a way that my friends and family could help hold me accountable to my goal but it transitioned into a beautiful space of inspiration for others.

So did you really sweat 365 days in a row?
Yes and no. I worked out for 365 days in a row but sometimes my body needed a break and I listened. Those days I would walk for 45 minutes in my neighborhood or go to a slower paced yoga class. I did not sweat (much), I just moved. It is important to listen to what your body needs no matter what your fitness goals are. When you are able to truly listen, you will be able to complete the goal a lot easier than if you push it so hard that it breaks.

What did achieving the goal mean to you?
The most important thing that it taught me is how powerful I can be when I fully commit myself to something. Everyone has self doubt and for me it kept coming back to, "you cannot complete anything!" By finishing this goal I was able to prove myself oh-so wrong. Now that I know that I am capable of completing things, my world seems endlessly full of possibilities. That's a pretty wonderful feeling.

Was there ever a point where you wanted to throw in the towel?
There were a few times when I felt like throwing the towel in my husband’s face! However his patience and soft encouraging words helped to keep me going. I have to admit that working out while you have the flu is one of the worst feelings around!

Favourite ways to sweat?
Good ole' fashioned running outside and yoga. Right before my wedding I became addicted to Yoga Sculpt (a power yoga class with weights and cardio) because of the high-intensity it helped lower my stress levels. My advice to future brides? Find a class similar to this and thank me later!

So does this mean you had to workout on your wedding day?
Yes! My bridesmaids and I ran a mile to a local park, where another one of my friends met us to lead 45 minutes of yoga. A few family members also came along for the ride. It was a beautiful way to start a day that celebrated love!

Did you try a bunch of different ways to sweat to change it up?
I did but I kept coming back to my favorites. I found that it was easiest to stick to my goal by doing the tried and true workouts most of the time. The strangest thing I did was going to a fitness concert in Denver called "OMG Fitness!" There were over 1,000 people wearing all white covered with glow in the dark paint, while completing a bootcamp class. I sweated my butt off, danced like a maniac and walked out of the event with my friend in hysterics. It completely pushed me out of my comfort zone and I am always thankful for that - primarily when I am done!

Hit us with some words of wisdom – what else did you learn?
Like anything in life, you make the things that are important to you a priority. If you do not have your health, then you have no life. Deep, right? Take care of your health and cultivate it by providing yourself with a healthy lifestyle. You will thank yourself a thousand times over for all of the benefits that continue to unfold.

Also, let go of the expectations that you have for what your body should look like. I thought that by the end of this my love handles would be non-existent. Nope, although they are smaller, they still linger around like that last guest at a dinner party. Once I was able to let go of what I thought my body should look like, I began to love my body as it is. Same goes with what my body is capable of during workouts. No hefty expectations means less pain. Try it, it feels so much better than hankering for a life of six-pack abs.

Anyone else out there attempt something like this before? 

Throughout the next few months, we'll be sharing stories from our ambassadors on things they've experienced that helped contribute to who and where they are today.

Mary Beth Larue is a Vinyasa yoga teacher and ambassador at our Santa Monica store. She began practicing yoga to find relief from sitting at a desk for her day job and decided she needed to become a teacher to helping others find joy through yoga. We sat down with Mary Beth recently and asked her about a time in her life that helped shape the person she is today.

watch the video

what is a declaration?

A declaration is a statement that follows "I am".

Declarations:
• bring you back to the core of who you are
• connect your vision and goals
• state your future

i am [____]

Whether we realize it or not, we are constantly making declarations, for example: “I am tired” or “I am too busy.” By recognizing what we are declaring, and recognizing the power of our statements, we can shift them from a place of negativity to a place of possibility.

“I am strength.”
“I am learning, growing, loving.”

Our words are powerful. What do yours say about you?

opening party declarations

In order to make our declarations more enduring, we asked local artist Buddy Jackson to create an art piece that could live in our store and around our community. Buddy stained a large piece of copper to read, “I am,” and then, for the party, cut the copper into hundreds of smaller squares, on which guests could write their declarations.

Buddy then reassembled the pieces of copper, so that the entire piece still reads, “I am,” but when looking at the artwork up-close, guests will be able to read all of our personal declarations.

what's your declaration?

We loved seeing our community of Franklin come together and share their declarations that will live on in Buddy’s artwork. The next time you are in your local lululemon, ask someone about declarations. Moreover, consider what you are declaring today and each day. As our store window currently reads, “Our words create. What are yours making?”

Haven't we all emerged from the tree break at the top of Grouse Mountain (or any other grueling hike for that matter) and said 'I'd love to do that 13 more times?'*

*Disclaimer: For those of you who haven't hiked the Grouse Grind the 3km trek straight up Grouse Mountain is often lovingly called Mother Nature's staircase... which is entirely inaccurate unless by Mother Nature you mean a terrible monster and by staircase you mean a smorgasbord of creaky wooden planks, uneven terrain and an unimaginable plethora of mosquitoes. Fun, right?

steph takes on the grind

It’s no secret we’re big on goals here – make that big on big goals – so when the head of our recruiting team, Steph, proclaimed she was going to summit the peak of the Grouse Grind 14 times in a single day (smashing the current women’s record) we suppressed our immediate urge to call her crazy and, instead, showed up at the base of the mountain at 6AM ready to will her to the top over a dozen times.

getting out of the daily grind for a different kind of grind

Throughout the long and hot day, co-workers from our office and local stores made appearances to cheer her on. The power of declaring goals has never been more apparent: friends and strangers alike came out to do a Grind (or two, or three) with Steph and dozens more came out to do their first Grind ever knowing that they could conquer their own personal goals alongside someone else crushing hers.

dream bigger, fail harder

On the 11th summit (all of which were under one hour), Steph burst out of the trees with the biggest smile on her face saying, "Well, I guess that's what 11 Grinds looks like!". Daylight hours were dwindling and it appeared that 14 Grinds wouldn’t be in the cards before the night fell. Knowing it would feel better to finish on top (no pun intended), after 33km of vertical climbing and 44,000+ feet of elevation conquered, Steph called it a day (an awesome one at that).

a note from steph on failure

"Thank you for your hearts, your full days, your Grinds, your cheers, your snacks and your smiles; online and offline. Simply seeing you out there made my heart sing. I set a goal and failed. It was worth every damn step along the way. I hope you will set goals and crush them…and sometimes fail too. It keeps us feeling like we are living lives bigger than we could have imagined."

What are some of your big hairy audacious goals?

And here we thought one 30-day yoga challenge was just that, a challenge. Meet Danne, a Natick, MA educator and 30-day challenger extraordinaire. Seriously – Danne’s been completing a one-month challenge (or “Lent” as she calls it) every month for the last four years.  We couldn’t help but ask her to dish the deats on what she’s been up to (and secretly hoped her dedication would rub off on us too).

one goal at a time, one month at a time, for a whole year

As Sophia from the Golden Girls would say...Picture it: Boston, Massachusetts. It’s a cold December night in 2008. A discouraged 25-year-old-girl in the midst of a quarter-life crisis is sitting down to write her New Year’s resolutions. This last year has been kind of a letdown and she can’t seem to shake the feeling that she isn’t making any notable progress on her goals—on the things that really matter most. After scribbling down an intimidating number of resolutions, the hopelessness starts to settle in. “How can I actually expect to get anything done with such an overwhelming list?”, she wonders. That’s when the epiphany hits: Why not create a hybrid between a New Year’s Resolution and the concept of Lent; one goal at a time, one month at a time, for a whole year. And just like that, a blog (and lifestyle) was born.

12 months of lent

Having grown up in a Catholic household, I’m no stranger to practicing Lent in the more traditional sense. With my blog, 12 Months of Lent, my goal is to take Lent’s underlying concept (personal sacrifice and dedication for a set period of time) and use it to push myself towards making headway on my goals. Each month, I assign myself a different challenge, or “Lent”, to complete with the intention of living a more purposeful and fulfilling life. The best part? It works.

rising to the challenge

So, what type of challenges do I take on? Well, I spent a month picking up every piece of litter that I came across, another month not making any trash (it’s much more possible than you think), a month attempting to become a diehard Red Sox fan, a month getting rid of 100 things a week and other months committing to much simpler tasks, like writing in my journal each day, taking more photographs and doing more yoga.

the good, the bad and the ugly

Favorite Challenge:
"Sixing" was a challenge where I limited my wardrobe to only six items (totally amazing and especially awesome for travelling).

Hardest Challenge:
Attempting to eat the government’s daily-recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. Epic fail.

Most Dreaded Challenge:
The 21-Day Dietary Cleanse. It was pretty tough to be psyched about going without my beloved pizza and Pinot Grigio for three weeks.

what’s the point?
People ask me all the time why I do these funny challenges in the first place...what’s the point? The answer is simple: it’s become second nature—a habit, a positive ritual that impacts my life in the best way possible. Four years in, and I honestly can’t picture my life without it.

Are you challenging yourself to do anything this month? Check out Danne’s blog for inspiration. Also, keep your eye out for her coverage of Wanderlust Vermont right here on our blog next week!

People who run marathons are incredibly fit, incredibly inspiring and, well, simply incredible. People who run ultramarathons are all of the above with the  (and we mean this is the best way possible) addition of incredibly crazy. We asked ultramarathoner and SoHo store ambassador, Tom Cripps, a few questions about going the distance.

an interview with an ultramarathoner

what do you run for?
It continually evolves for me. Sometimes I love the solitude. Sometimes I love the company. Sometimes I love the grit. Sometimes I love nothing about the run at all! There’s nothing like getting out of the city, hitting a trail and tearing up a dirt path. I don’t meditate but I guess you could liken it to that. For me, running is a release, an adventure and a killer workout too.

what exactly is an ultra?
Depends on who you ask, really. The actual definition is anything further than a marathon… so if you jog to the beer station after running a marathon, you could say you ran an ultra (and congratulations on that extra effort too!). Some people say it’s got to be a race that’s at least 50 miles. I think the best definition is 50k (about 32 miles) or more. There’s a lot that goes on between mile 26.2 and mile 32 and I think the mentality for most runners switches from speed to survival around here.

what inspired you to go the extra distance?
Like a lot of people, I did the ‘I want to run a marathon’ thing. Then I ran one. For two weeks after, I promised myself I would never do it again. After while I started to miss the commitment and the feeling of accomplishment. Then, I read the book (Born to Run – Christopher McDougall). I had no idea humans could even run much further than a marathon let alone 135 miles in the middle of Death Valley in the heat of summer. I was just so intrigued I had to try it myself. I am still as intrigued today as much as I have ever been.

let’s talk logistics – do you run the whole time? how do you eat? hydrate? go to the bathroom?
I have never actually run 50 miles non-stop - I have run 32 non-stop but that was around Manhattan so it was pretty flat. 

Eating can be a chore for me as after a certain amount of mileage not everything wants to stay down. Hydration is really important too and getting the sodium levels right is pretty critical. There is an ultra golden rule that if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated so I try to take a good sip of water every 10 minutes or so. As for bathroom, I guess men are like dogs. The world is our potential urinal. As for women, there seems to be more logistics involved but the concept is exactly the same.

running an ultra feels like the ultimate goal – how do you push yourself beyond that?
One of the goals I’m working on is to run an ultra marathon on all seven continents. I love to travel as much as I love to run, so this should save me some time and give me plenty of ammunition to bore people with when I’m old.

rumour has it you’re headed to china for a race soon?
In a few weeks I’m running The North Face 100km in China to raise money for LearnToLive. It’s a cause focused on providing sustainable healthcare and resources to areas in North Sulawesi (Indonesia) where there is absolutely zero history of any healthcare. The organization sends health workers and engineers to North Sulawesi for one month on an annual basis to diagnose, treat and educate these communities. This is kind of an intangible benefit but I also believe this experience provides these workers with a unique perspective that will simply make them better at what they do.

Are you ready for race season? We’re getting serious about our training (and cheering). Only 95 days to go ‘til The SeaWheeze!

On May 17^th 2012, it’s your sports bra’s time to shine…

the itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie bikini fear
Last May, as summer was approaching, I was overwhelmed by my annual beachwear anxiety. You know, that moment when you realize bikini season is right around the corner. Usually, I’m filled with dread but this particular year, there was a fire inside of me to change how I felt about myself. As a fitness instructor, I needed to own up to my role as a leader so I encouraged my riders to step out of their own comfort zones by facing a fear. I set a private, personal goal for myself to face my biggest fear of revealing my midriff. Why was this so scary? What was I trying to hide? I challenged myself to teach one of my SoulCycle classes wearing only a sports bra. When the class was over and I was still wearing my lame, gold jacket (yes, this class was Rihanna-themed), I was not only disappointed in myself but I felt like I had let down those riders who looked to me as someone who practices what she preaches.

s

the midriff movement
At that moment, I realized that I could not face this challenge alone, I needed the support of my peers. The only way I was going to be able to overcome my biggest fear was if an entire class would join me by riding in their sports bras too. A simple, personal goal quickly turned into a small movement when two of my personal heroes, NBC'S The Biggest Loser Season 11 finalists Olivia Ward and Hannah Curlee got on board. On July 29, 2011 we bared it all in a class and stories from women across the country  who participated in their own mini Sports Bra Challenges came pouring in.

turn your dreams into plans
That July, I became an ambassador for the lululemon Union Square store. Through a goal coaching session (which includes the terrifying task of writing down my goals and discussing them) it became clear to me that I was not through with The Sports Bra Challenge. I wanted to continue to challenge, support and help women and men all over the country feel comfortable in their bodies and to embrace who they are. I decided that I was going to recreate The Sports Bra Challenge on a much larger scale and make it more accessible to people all over the country. That’s when my dream started to become a reality.

putting a spin on it
What started out as an event quickly turned into a foundation. In January 2012, I created S.E.A.K. Foundation; a non-profit organization that empowers people to be confident in who they are through educational programs and events focused on physical and emotional health. The Sports Bra Challenge is now an event that provides the funding for SEAK to implement after-school programs for teenage girls in New York City to develop their sense of self-esteem and self-worth.

the 2012 sports bra challenge
On Thursday, May 17, SEAK Foundation presents The Sports Bra Challenge 2012. This one-day outdoor fitness event will consist of two large-scale SoulCycle classes, a Vinyasa Yoga class and a (free, kids-only) signature Pound Class through Crunch Fitness. All proceeds from the event will benefit City of Hope's Positive Image Center and SEAK Foundation.

Come one, come all and get ready to grin and bare it. Registration for the event starts today!

photo by Jeff Farsai

It’s a dream that anyone who has ever fallen in love with a sport has most likely contemplated at one point or another. For some athletes, representing their country at the Games is a measure of knowing they’ve made it. Olympic silver medalist and Fashion Island ambassador Jaime Komer, talks about life after the Olympics – a life she hadn’t ever planned for.

dreaming the dream

I competed in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and earned a silver medal with the USA Women's water polo team. Achieving something like this was a "hmm, imagine if..." question ever since I fell in love with the sport. My passion for water polo pushed me beyond my perceived limits, introduced me to some of the most inspiring individuals I've ever met, took me on adventures around the globe and allowed me to truly understand the concept of “I can and I will.”

The idea of setting audacious and slightly (or very!) intimidating goals is what got me where I am today. I attribute much of my success to the daily, monthly and yearly goals I set pre-Olympics. Breaking down the work I knew I had to do into goals, helped me through the tough journey I knew was ahead.

to the olympics and beyond

Oddly enough, the hardest part was actually after the games. Here’s the thing, when you’re training for the Olympics you dedicate your whole life to the sport. You’ve got your sights set on making one goal happen and everything else (and everyone else) gets put on hold. (This is the part where I thank my husband and family for their understanding while I continually missed birthdays, anniversaries and, almost, my own brother's wedding!). The last thing on your mind is, "Soooo, what am I going to do with myself after this?"

the dream after the olympic one

I've heard many stories about athletes experiencing post-Olympic depression once they stop competing in their respective sport. It’s all you know for the longest time and in a way, it has defined you as a person. It can be difficult to move on and dare to open yourself up to a new dream.  How will anything top the act of going to the Olympic Games? Some will say that nothing can.

I am excited to say I am taking a different perspective. I realized that creating big ol' freakishly awesome (yet thoroughly audacious) goals didn’t have to stop there. Have I given everything I can to the world, my community, my family, my legacy? Certainly not! It wasn’t until I could cross off my Olympic goals that I could start to realize what else was out there for me and a world of possibility opened up.

Whether you’re an Olympic athlete or a seasoned goal setter, the feeling of “what’s next?” is a familiar and sometimes scary one. Ever had your sights set on one thing for so long, you didn’t know what to do after?

It’s 2012 and the future feels bright. With January comes a clean slate, resolutions and a heightened sense of possibility. Last year, we wrote about re-igniting your goals once the New Year high wore off. We caught up with Katie, Matt, Laura and Carolyn to find out which 2011 goals they crushed and which goals need a little revising.

katie, design

2011 goal declaration
I attend Wanderlust by 2011
I enroll in a raw foods cooking course by November 2011

how it went down
In 2011 I did indeed get to shake my Shakti at Wanderlust. While I was thinking warm winds in Tahoe, I got sent to three days of downpour in Vermont. The rain didn't dampen my spirits though. I got to meet (and converse with) Bryan Kest - the first teacher who ever inspired me to do yoga via VHS tape so many years ago. (Who knew he was just a cool dude from Detroit?)

lesson learned this year
Sometimes your goals don’t always play out exactly the way you envisioned them. Goals are meant to be guidelines to help you achieve the things that are important to you. How it all goes down, well that’s up to life.

what’s next?
Alas, however, my goal of attending a raw foods workshop still remains unfulfilled and my food still fully cooked…but hey, that's what 2012 is for, right?

Matt, currently crushing his mba in denmark

2011 goal declaration
I complete 10 items off my 100 before 100 by Dec 2011

how it went down
This one got 40% complete. Paying for a random strangers meal, hot air ballooning, making chocolate by hand and bungee jumping made my summer completely awesome! Even though I didn’t fully achieve this one, I feel good about my progress and the other goals I did crush like:
• finish four running races by Nov 2011
• save $10,000 for my MBA by Sept 2011

lesson learned this year
Looking back, I definitely stuck with the 50/50 rule – having 50% of my goals BHAGs that would push me. Goals are intended to be both attainable and challenging. Failing to reach a goal doesn't make me a failure. It means I was pushing myself

what’s next?
Best part of looking back at these goals? It makes me more excited about my goals for this year. Bring it on 2012!

laura, recruiting

2011 goal declaration
I ride the GranFondo Whistler by September 2012

how it went down
This year, my coworker Ben looked at my goals and said, “you’ve got the Gran Fondo on your goals, sign up!” With do it now, do it now, do it now engrained in my brain, I signed on the dotted line to ride the Whistler Gran Fondo a year earlier than planned.

If you’ve ever driven up the Sea to Sky Highway you can appreciate that there are a few hills. Once you’ve ridden a bike up it you’ll know that it’s almost all hills - 2,400 meters of climbing for a total elevation gain of 650 meters. The support from the crowds and my team pushed me to the top and over the finish line for one of the proudest moments of my life. Editors note: I think it’s safe to say Laura crushed this one by completing her goal in 2011.

lesson learned this year
Just because you’ve told yourself you’re going to do something by a certain time doesn’t mean you can’t kill it sooner!

what’s next?
I take one hour off my 2011 GranFondo Whistler time.

carolyn, digital

2011 goal declaration
I sample wine from every winery in the Okanagan Valley by December 2011

how it went down
I set some seriously fun goals last year – and I achieved a lot of them. Through the first half of the year I was attacking them with gusto and crossing them off my list.
• Take my parents on a fishing vacation to Painter’s Lodge? Check!
• Cook Julia Child’s famous Boeuf Bourguignon. Check!
• Take three ski vacations - at different hills. Check!

I used to keep my goals written on a big chalkboard in both my living room and kitchen. Everyday I was confronted with them – my fiancé saw them, they sparked conversations with friends and they stayed top of mind due to the visible reminder.

In September I moved into a new apartment (another goal off the list) and I no longer had a big,visible space to display my goals. With the loss of the chalkboards I stopped achieving my goals and even started to forget what they were.

lesson learned this year
Keep your goals visible to hold yourself accountable to them and keep them top of mind.

what’s next?
I revised my Okanagan Valley wine goal as I realized early on it wasn't realistic. With hundreds of wineries in the Okanagan, it would take me years to complete this. I've revised the goal to: I have tasted wine from every winery south of Okanagan Falls by June 2012.

Now that we’ve shared some of our successes, failures and revisions, what big goals are you setting for 2012?

Ciona (an educator at our Nashville store) is a lover of poetry, playfulness, travelling, yoga and the colour yellow. In 10 years you’ll see her producing and hosting a TV show on OWN.

what would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?

want more?

• read more from Ciona: Rouse Rantings
• create a vision and set powerful goals
• more words of wisdom: read our manifesto