Ask the Readers: Are you reaching your goals?

venerdì 5 settembre 2014

Ask the Readers: Are you reaching your goals?

This article is by editor Linda Vergon.

Remember when 2014 was new? I’d rather not think about it, but more than half the year is behind us already and we’re moving into fall fairly quickly. For me, that’s a good time to start thinking about whether I’m reaching my goals for the year and what I need to do to correct my course.

I would like to be in a position to tackle a “single resolution” every year like J.D. Roth did in his Year of Fitness in 2010. I like the fact that, when you eliminate distractions and focus your energy, it reduces your stress level. That makes a lot of sense, but I don’t fit the criteria J.D. mentioned where “nothing else mattered.”

In my situation, there are a number of things that really matter to me, so I decided to concentrate on a small set of goals at the beginning of the year and prioritize them. (I don’t call my goals “resolutions” either.)

I’m excited about the progress I’ve made on my highest priorities so far; but if I want to finish strong, I need to make sure I’m on track with those goals and then reassess to see if I can devote time and energy to meet some of the other goals on my list. Here’s what I think I should do to reset the sails:

Revise my map

My biggest priority for 2014 (and beyond) is to stay healthy through exercise. So my husband and I set out to ride our bicycles nearly every day. But I had to scale it back for a few weeks in February and March because of an injury to my foot, so I’ve only logged 1,658 miles in 84 rides so far this year. With 16 more weeks left in the year, I could actually log another 1,920 miles if I dedicate myself to 20 miles a day, six times a week. I’ve done three rides this week already, so I need to revise my map again to do a little better.

Redouble my effort

I’ve actually been resting on my laurels a bit. But 1,658 miles is a lot of miles, and sometimes I do slack off. And another thing is I love my jam-packed days, but not getting enough sleep can easily derail me from getting out for my ride in the morning. So if I’m going to reach six rides a week, I’ll have to manage my time better and redouble my effort. I want to make a budget for my time so that I can reallocate it between what I have to do and what I want to do. I also want to think about the little habits that I’ve let creep into my life that distract me from my goal.

Rekindle my passion
I need to remember why I’m doing this. Whether I have to remind myself how I felt when I hurt my foot or think more about how great I feel after a 20-mile ride, I need to find some way to reconnect with the fact that I can’t reach my other goals if I don’t have my health. I have to say that I absolutely love riding my bike now, but that wasn’t always the case. I’m just very persistent! But because of that persistence, I have built confidence just like J.D.’s fitness trainer explained:

“’Honing [sic] in on one challenge and overcoming it can give you a tremendous feeling of success,’ Limbaugh writes. This can help boost your belief that you can overcome other obstacles.’”

It’s great to be able to eliminate distractions and devote yourself to a single, all-encompassing goal like fitness. But again, fitness is just my highest priority this year. I also set out to increase my savings, spend time with family, take some online courses, and organize my home office. Out of these four, I’m only two for two, so I’m going to rethink each of my other goals as well. It’s embarrassing to admit that I haven’t moved my savings to an online account yet! So I’m going to do my research (like we always encourage you to do) to help us increase our savings. Beyond that, I’m going to start planning the holidays and work harder to organize my home office so I’m all set for tax season next year.

Are you thinking about how the year is going and what you need to do to reach your goals? Do you plan to make some corrections to your course? What’s on your list?