Check!

I have read a bewildering amount of material about goal-setting in my life.  I’ve read about the six most efficient strategies and the four simple tricks, the eight tips for better everything, and the nine ways to tailor my goals to my learning style, personality, astrological sign, dominant hand, and current biorhythm.  I only made some of that up.  Some of that reading turned out to be useful, but I couldn’t tell until I tried stuff out.  I am big on experimentation and real life experience.  This is what works for me.

I don’t get too specific on the big stuff.  Lots of advice-givers suggest that the best goals are quantifiable and have deadlines.  I think that’s great for what I want to accomplish today.  For example, today I am going to do an hour of Pilates practice and either ride my bike or go swimming. 

I have a general idea of what my long-term fitness goals are, but I don’t have a goal of running a marathon by April 12, 2015 with a time of 2 hours while weighing in at 107 pounds.  Not just because that is a totally unrealistic goal (I don’t like running, at least not yet.).  If I did want to run a marathon, I would have to learn a whole bunch about what that entails.  I don’t know enough right now to make a realistic marathon-running goal.  I do know what I can do today that is both realistic and good for me, in line with my overarching principles.

On a slightly longer scale, I know that I will be a happier, healthier, more fit person if I make sure to do cardio every day this week, if I eat food that is good for me, and if I go outside.  I know that I will need to get enough rest, do something with heavy objects, and practice Pilates.  I will probably make a list with boxes to tick for each of those things because I like ticking boxes, but I know that I can’t get hung up on the boxes or I won’t do anything.

So the important question is:  what are you going to do today?