Reflection
I know I’ve shared the following story before, but when I saw the opening quote, my mind went to it, and I’m still suffering some PTSD from one of my most embarrassing and pitiful athletic performances ever.
It was late spring of 2003, and I decided I wanted to become a triathlete.
To motivate me to get into shape, I signed up for two triathlon events that summer.
The first event was a Sprint race–where you swim a 1/2 mile, then bike 12 miles, and finish with a 3-mile run.
The second event was a Half-Ironman–where the swim is 1.2 miles, the bike is 56 miles, and the run is 13.1 miles.
Now, after competing in triathlons for almost twenty years, I can tell you that anyone with a smidgin of athleticism can complete a sprint triathlon with just a few weeks of training–not the case with a Half-Ironman.
I learned this lesson the hard way on a HOT July, 95-degree day at Buckeye Lake State Park back in 2003.
I raced horribly.
I finished third from last.
As I look back, I most likely narrowly escaped death.
Today, I train six months to prepare myself for a Half-Ironman, and I still kind of suck. 🙂
I was not mentally and physically fit for the challenge.
I had set myself up for defeat before I ever set foot into Buckeye Lake.
The only thing I “won” that day was I most likely spent more time than any other racer visiting the Porta Johns during the run portion of the race. I had not prepared my intestinal tract for the volume of fluid intake I needed to survive on my Half-Ironman maiden voyage.. 🙁 🙂
Moral of this story…
My goal was not SMART; it was DUMB…Dumb, Unachievable, Mindless, and Bad.
FACT
One of the main reasons people fail to achieve their goal(s) is that they are unachievable.
So be SMART from the start…
Create goals that are…
SPECIFIC
MEASURABLE
ACHIEVABLE!!!
RELEVANT
TIME-BOUND
A few questions to ask yourself when setting achievable goals:
- How much time each day will I need to allot towards making progress on this goal?
- Where can I find this time? Said differently, what do I need to stop doing to create the time?
- Will I need additional mental and physical energy to achieve this goal? If so, where will I find it? What new sleep and nutrition routines do I need to implement in my activities of daily life?
- Are there additional resources (coaching, money, etc.) needed?
- Where do I see myself in one month? Two months? Three months? Six months?
Don’t be DUMB be SMART when setting out to achieve a new goal…I always write from experience.
2 Timothy 3:17, “That the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
P.E.A.C.E.
Jay@EagleLaunch.com
P.E.A.C.E.ful Living
Plan – A dream/goal remains a dream until it is put into writing. Putting your dream or goal in writing is the first step in creating a PLAN to achieve it. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
Effort – Turning your dream/goal into reality requires a commitment to putting forth consistent and focused EFFORT toward the execution of your plan. Nothing great in life happens without working hard.
Attitude – Your chances of achieving your dream are exponentially increased if you believe you will achieve it. Always remember that your ATTITUDE determines your altitude in life.
Community – Nothing great in life happens by doing it alone. The chances of achieving your dream expand as your COMMUNITY of positive mentors and coaches expand. You become the average of the five people you spend the most time with…and yes, spending time with “people” through books and instructional videos factors into your average.
Energy – Chasing and achieving your dream requires optimal levels of mental, physical, and spiritual ENERGY. Put your dream in God’s hands and nurture your mental and physical being.
