Day 68b - Goal Setting

Goals are fantastic things. I set some goals for June simply because May was good but a bit erratic. June is erratic too. But hopefully erratic with higher achievements.

Here are my results so far.

Running:

• Current Kms run: 33.84km
• Target to 14 June: 46.6km
• Variance: - ~13km

Swimming:

• Current swim distance: 0km (yes folks you read that right ZERO!)
• Target swim distance (June total): 5000m
• Variance: - 5000m

Goals are great.

They let you know very clearly when you are on track or not. From the figures above I have some work to do. But, although I am well down in the swim category, at least I know what the actual challenge is in the last 16 days of June - I have to do 312m per day to hit my target. Or, which is more likely, 5 days of 1000m per day. And I know I can do that. So while I have had to cram it, I know I can do it. (it then raises the point that maybe 5km of swimming wasn’t too tough a target!)

No excuses.

So here is an update, simply because of the above stats and comparing them to my goals:

• I just ran 2.3 km to the pool.
• I just swam 1km
• I walked home 2.3km

So in the space of 60 mins I’ve made a huge step toward meeting my goal for the month of June.

And it was all in my head. I had just stopped keeping to a schedule. I was sitting in bed as I realised this so all I had to do was get out of bed, get my running gear on, grab a towel for the pool and head off.

An hour later and my results are significantly different.

Tomorrow is my 10km run day so that will be further progress.

And this isn’t all that special. It’s not rocket science. It’s just doing it. (I owe Nike my life!) It’s a mental decision.

And also what I have realised is that I have been wanting to lose weight and get fit for years - yes, years.

Why is it different now?

I think the desire has been there all the time. Just not the motivation or the goal. The goal itself provides motivation. And the progress I make generates more motivation. I’m almost obsessed with losing weight in a good way. And because of this “obsession” I’m looking out for ways to achieve my goal almost subconsciously. Blogs, books, routes to run, food to eat (I always check the packaging now!) and the simple internal competition to reach my goal.

So what are my goals?

• Weight: 76kg (currently 81.9, down from 88.5)
• Run: 100km per month (now around 30km per month, up from 0km per month)
• Swim: 5km per month (1km this month, up from 0km 2 months ago)
• Push Ups: 100 per day (nil, but just taken up Steve Speirs’ challenge)
• Sit Ups: 100 per day (nil, but akin to Steve’s challenge)
• Eat: Better (I need  better goal than this “better” is too vague - ideas anyone?)

I am also aware that the goals setting and achievement of the goals are affecting (positively) other parts of my life. But more on that later. If you’ve read this you”re probably getting bored by now!

Thanks for visiting.

Tagged as: achievement, goal setting, Goals, success