Why Focusing on One Goal at a Time Can Supercharge Your Progress

When you’ve got big goals, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. At Axis Strength Training, we often see members come in with multiple ambitious objectives—and that’s a great thing! But trying to tackle everything at once can be a fast track to burnout and discouragement.

I recently sat down for a goal review meeting with one of our members who had two major goals:

1. Improve strength on the big three lifts—back squat, bench press, and deadlift.

2. Lose a significant amount of weight and reduce body fat to under 10%.

Both goals are absolutely achievable. But trying to accomplish them simultaneously? That’s a tall order. Building strength typically requires eating more to fuel progress, while losing body fat means maintaining a calorie deficit. Pursuing both at the same time can create mixed signals for your body—and your motivation.

So what’s the solution? Prioritize.

We decided to focus first on fat loss and improving body composition during the summer months. Warmer weather, more outdoor activity, and fewer food-centered holidays make this a great time to shed fat. Then, once fall and winter roll around—along with holiday meals and colder days inside—we’ll shift to a strength-building phase, with more calories and heavy lifting.

This approach brought instant clarity and relief for the member. Suddenly, the process felt doable. Instead of juggling conflicting demands, he had a clear path forward with a better chance of success.

Next step: Build the plan.

Once we set the primary goal, we outlined the daily habits that would lead to results:

- Eliminate processed foods

- Eat approx 1 gram of protein per pound of lean bodyweight per day

- Drink at least 64oz of water daily

- Train 4–6 days per week with a focus on hypertrophy (muscle building)

- Cut out alcohol and liquid calories

- Stay within a specific daily calorie range to maintain a calorie deficit while supporting training

By consistently following these habits, he’s now on track to hit his body composition goal. Once that’s achieved, we’ll reassess, set the next target, and create a new set of actionable steps to crush it.

Break big goals into focused phases.

This strategy makes your goals more approachable, more sustainable—and more likely to be achieved. At Axis Strength Training, we love helping our members set smart goals, create tailored action plans, and stay motivated through every step of the journey.

Ready to start working on your goals with expert support and a personalized plan?

Book your FREE "No Sweat" Intro today at axisstrengthtraining.com. Let's get started on building the strongest, healthiest version of you.