Tag: Goals

Are You Finishing Your Race Well?

The clock is ticking and 2019 is almost over. Were you able to achieve a goal you set for yourself last January?

If you’re like me, you stopped making New Year’s resolutions because you failed to keep them in the past. Why do some people fail while others succeed?

Setting Realistic Goals

One reason people succeed depends upon the goal they set for themselves. They choose a realistic attainable goal which they deeply desire. Achieving any goal requires an investment of time, energy, and sometimes money. In order to stay motivated a person needs to care enough to invest themselves.

Before setting a goal, decide if you’re willing to make sacrifices. If additional knowledge or skills are needed, can you obtain the resources to help you advance?

Recently, I watched thousands of runners cross the finish line in the Orlando half-marathon. Clearly these champions had set a realistic goal for themselves. They were physically healthy and committed to months of preparation. Some of the runners may have sought advice from other athletes or hired a personal trainer.

Visualize Success

Finishing a long distance race depends upon remaining focused and committed. I’m sure there were days when some of these runners wanted to do anything else but run. They had to say no to distractions which pulled them away from their training schedule. They had to get up early to work out when they wanted to stay in bed.

In order to press on mile after mile, runners may have visualized someone taking their picture as they crossed the finish line. They imagined the cheer of spectators and the glorious moment the shiny medal is placed around their neck. Very often our goals are achieved by picturing what we will look like when achieve them.

Be Honest

Take the time to evaluate your progress along the way. Honest evaluation doesn’t mean putting yourself down because someone else is faster or better than you. Seek help identifying any misconceptions you have regarding the way you are running your race. Often runners team up with a pacer who helps them maintain their speed.

If you are disappointed in your progress, find out what steps you can take to improve. If you hit a roadblock, or meet a setback, don’t let it tempt you to quit. Celebrate the small victories. If you’re attempting something new, you will not finish first, but you can finish the course.

Be Inspired

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as for working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Scripture honors hard work and diligence, a concept often learned by participating in sports. I may never attempt to run a half-marathon, but seeing the joyful faces of the runners at the finish line inspires me to give more effort to anything I decide to do.

I’m looking forward to 2020. Are you?

The Problem with Lists

IMG_6569Have you ever stopped to think about how many lists there are in the world? I’ll begin by listing a few of them.

Grocery list, packing list, inventory list, bucket list, to-do-list, reading list, guest list, waiting list, call list, class list, friends list, wish list, and the FBI most wanted list… I could go on an on. I’ve written a lot of lists in my life.  When I can’t decide what to write about, I’ve even made a “what I could write about list.”

Lists can help us remember things. But they can also stop us from enjoying life if we let them control us. Have you ever not been able to function without your list? One time I lost my grocery list with my menu for the week when I was in the grocery store. I’ll admit, I’m an organization freak. When I lost my list a sense of panic spread throughout my body! Actually, it wasn’t the end of the world and I  even learned that I usually buy the same things every time I shop. Ok… yogurt, Cheerios, sandwich thins, sliced  turkey… I think we’ll survive!

When I get ready to travel I begin by making a list, of course.  I start packing several days before I leave, and check off each item as I put it in the suitcase. This method is not entirely fool-proof if you didn’t write something you needed on the list. I really admire people who literally, “fly by the seat of their pants”. Some people I know, and I won’t mention any names here, don’t make lists and wait until the last hour to pack before leaving for the airport! They say, if I forgot something, like clothes, I can always buy more souvenir T-shirts!

What about to-do-lists? Do you enjoy a sense of accomplishment as you cross those tasks out?  Have you ever crossed them out even though you didn’t do them? How do you acknowledge if you really completed the task or did a half way job? Too often I put way too many things on my to-do-list. So  I have to carry it over to the next day and maybe even the next week! Making lists can be very time-consuming.  What’s the point of having your whole day crossed out before you go to bed? Extend that to crossing out weeks, months, years, and even your whole life! To-do-lists are mostly for boring, unpleasant tasks that no one really wants to do. Some of the most memorable and enjoyable moments of our lives can happen in between the entries on our list. Who writes down,” be sure to eat ice cream today”, or “sit on the front porch and enjoy the sunset”?

Most people my age are thinking about crossing things off their bucket lists. A bucket list might include exotic places to visit, learning a new skill, or doing something adventurous. I’m curious, do most people write their bucket list in one sitting, or do they continually add to it? What is the best age to start writing a bucket list?  For the unimaginative, there are websites where you can get bucket list ideas! See the top 100 bucket list ideas at themasterbucketlist.com. I was surprised to read #25, “Raise a happy and healthy child.” Is that something you can really control?  What happens when  your bucket list is all crossed out? Is life over?

Lists can really stress a person out. They can actually depress you by making you feel like a failure if you don’t accomplish what you’ve written down.  And let’s face it, life does get in the way sometimes. Life, with all its twists and turns is full of unexpected events. My new challenge for myself is to live in the moment and make less lists. Hmmm…Maybe  I will write that down as number one on my “new personal goals list”.

 

 

 

 

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