MY Goals

We all know that it important to set goals. You’ve heard that, right? Funny thing is that very people actually set reasonable goals and go through the steps that are needed to achieve said goals. I think this is insane.

Most people set goals around the first of the year. They say to their spouse or friends “I’m going to lose weight this year.” That’s it. No plan. Nothing specific. Just a general wish. How do these types of goals usually work out? Yeah, failure.

This year I’m going to cut down on the junk food. This year I’m going to join the gym. This year I’m going to lose weight. It’s all pointless if you are not serious and specific about your goals.

OK, I’m not going to write just about goal setting today. Nope. I’m going to grab my soap box and march right up onto it. Ha! I’m going to stand there and talk about ME.

“I wanna talk about ME, I wanna talk about I
Wanna talk about number 1 oh my, me, my,
What I think, What I like, What I know, What I want, What I see.
I like talkin' about you, you, you, you usually, but occasionally
I wanna talk about ME! (me, me, me,) I wanna talk about ME-E-E. (me, me, me)”

I’m going to try to hold myself accountable to my goals. Maybe seeing this will help YOU. I hope so.

The changing of the years is a good time to set goals. The holidays are over and you’ve had a break from work. I don’t know. It’s just a logical time. Another logical time is at your birthday. That’s what I did in 2009. I set some birthday goals.

Let me take a step back and tell you where I got the idea my 36th birthday goals. My friend and client Amy was about to turn 40 when I met her. At the time she was out doing all kinds of crazy stuff. Turns out she had a list of “40 Things to do Before I Turn 40”. I thought, “Oh that’s cool” so I stole her idea and made my own list of 40 things. Heck I have 4 years. I made a crazy list.

Some examples:
• #1 – Run 10 miles in each state. (37 down, 13 to go)
• #3 – Jump out of an airplane.
• #4 – Run 4 miles every day for a year. COMPLETE!!
• #8 – Compete in the Leadville 100 Mountain bike Race.
• #13 – Compete in the Ironman in Hawaii.
• #15 – Bike 100 miles in a day with my wife.
• #17 - Learn to play the guitar.
• #21 – Bike the Slick Rock trail with Charlene and Colby.
• #23 – Canoe the Rock Springs Run. COMPLETE!!
• #28 – Ski Telluride in Colorado.
• #30 - Visit the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• #35 – Visit Yellowstone National Park.
• #36 – Visit Las Vegas.
• #40 – Reach the High Point in 25 of the 50 states.

Now those are some pretty lofty goals. Most of these are long term goals. Did you notice that I finished a couple of them? When you see my goal list for 2010 you’ll see more of the “40 Things to do…” list pop up. Oh, by the way, I keep my 40 goals in a big orange binder and each goal has a picture, an affirmation, and a place to check off when I complete the goal. Pretty slick, huh?

Besides creating the 40 goals I did have specific goals for 2009 that I wanted to accomplish. I only had 6 specific goals. I reached 3 of them. 50%. That sucks. I have more goals in 2010 and a greater desire to succeed.

Let’s review the 6 goals from 2009.

1. Qualify for Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater. FAILED.
2. Qualify for XTerra World Championships in Maui. COMPLETE!!!!!
3. Qualify for Duathlon World Championships in Concord, NC. COMPLETE!!!!!
4. Finish on the podium at a World Championship race. FAILED. (25th place in Maui)
5. Find 1000 Geocaches. FAILED (reached 992 and would have finished but….)
6. Run/walk 4 miles per day for a year. COMPLETE!!!!

Lack of focus was a huge problem in 2009. 2010 is going to be much different. OK, let’s look at the 14 goals that I have for this year.

1. Qualify for Kona, Maui and Clearwater.
2. Finish on the podium at Kona, Maui and Clearwater.
3. Take a minimum of 4 weeks vacation AND have 4 weekends alone with my wife.
4. PRIVATE. Sorry.
5. Learn to play a pop or country song on the guitar.
6. Bring my Geocache total to at least 2000.
7. Go skydiving.
8. PRIVATE. Sorry.
9. Go to a high school, college and professional baseball game with my son Colby.
10. Go to Busch Gardens theme park.
11. Win the Hawaiian Airlines Double. (top combined time for Kona/Maui)
12. Do 10,000 burpees.
13. Publish my book. “Ultimate Fitness: A Journey NOT a destination)
14. PRIVATE. Sorry.

How am I going to accomplish these goals and do better than the 50% that I did last year? Well, first of all I’ve print them out and I have several copies. One copy is next to my bed. I plan on reading them every night. By reading them every night I’ll get them ingrained on my soul. Reading them everyday will also remind me that several of these goals require me to do something everyday to reach them.

I’m not doing 9900 burpees on December 31st. It’s just not happening.

I have made my goals very public. I say there is a little accountability there!
I am going to commit my heart and soul to these goals. I believe each and every goal is important and valid to me. Your goals should be no different. They should be vitally important to YOU.

The goals I’ve chosen are specific to me and my long term dream. Some are real Bucket List type stuff. I figured out a while ago that any goal worth having is a goal worth reaching towards. I’ve also learned that a life worth having is a life worth living.

These goals are challenging. These goals will stretch me. If I achieve all 14 of these goals then this will show that I’m living the life that I am supposed to be living; a life of meaning, substance and worth. I am going to bust my butt to reach these goals.

There you have my 14 goals and sub-goals. It’s all out there for the world to see.
What are your goals and how are you going to reach them? I have a specific plan or am in the process of coming up with a specific plan for each goal that I have. Are you doing the same?

Does my plan involve getting help from others? You bet id does. How about you? If your plan is to run a marathon or to lose weight then have you hired a coach or trainer? Why not?

OK, only one more thing to do.

Make your list and start taking MASSIVE action today! I’m going to go do 10 burpees right now, then…