Procrastinators of the world unite!!...Tomorrow... (because 'Goal Setting Tips & Why I'm Blogging' is not as fun a title)

So I set up a blog on running. To help be accountable for running. To help achieve my goal of running a marathon. AND I'M STILL NOT RUNNING! (in my defense it's only been five days and the weather has not been great, but still!) Now I am not only managing to procrastinate on the actual running, but also on the writing about it! Can anybody else relate to this?!

My marathon goal and the accountability of keeping a public log of my progress is what initially got my blog-cogs a-turning. There is a LOT of goal setting and success principles-type advice out there. Like, an absolute TON. Between books and blogs, courses, training websites and seminars, you name it, it's out there. I tend to be quite favorable toward the industry as a whole because I think it's an important one. Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living. It's a harsh statement, but my experience has taught me that I am happiest when I am achieving goals. I'm the most positive when I'm growing myself personally, professionally, spiritually and whatever else-ally. I also see this in other people I know and have known over the years. And one part of growth, goal setting, and the like is the self-examining portion. So his statement makes sense to me. Anyway, let me get back on track...

Some goal setting principles I have learned: Goals must be measurable & specific, they must have a deadline, you must write them down, you must be accountable to them so TELL SOMEBODY and preferably INCLUDE somebody in them (if possible, i.e. a workout buddy) Review  goals daily and do a little something every day towards them (if possible or practical.) 

Proof that yes, I have stared at a training program on my fridge
for about 2 years now without either a) doing the training or b)
removing the incriminating evidence. Queen of procrastination anybody?

How does this apply to this blog? Okay, so let me take you back... back to 2010... Yes all the way back... to the year Toy Story 3 came out (and it was awesome!) 2010...the year the Queen joined Facebook (I did mention I was an English American, didn't I?!) and I think also the year of the big Tiger Woods' embarrassingly busted apology fiasco. So anyways, in the midst of all that, I decided to start running. I had never really been a runner (at least not since secondary school as a teen) so I was in no running shape. (Although my cousins would argue that round IS a shape - bless their cotton socks :-) 

I started doing a couch to 5K training program and in October that year I ran my first 5K (little woot woot from me!) I kept training and ran my first 10K in July the following year participating in the Atlanta Peachtree Road Race. The next training schedule that went up on the fridge was for the half marathon goal... and there it still remains... (^hangs head in shame^) with NOT EVEN the first full week checked off...and I have not ran regularly since. Don't ask me what happened or what changed, because the answer is I don't know and nothing!!! Please refer to Exhibit A, the fridge of shame (dramatic dun dun dun to follow.) So basically, blog for me = ACCOUNTABILITY. You are helping me achieve a goal just by reading this... so big shout out to your reading selves and THANKS! :-)

On the bright side for my self-image I get the impression that I'm not alone in this struggle. It's easy to fall off the healthy eating/exercise/budgeting or anything else bandwagon. I think most people know what it's like to start something, maybe even strong, and still find themselves starting back again. New found good habits or goals fall by the wayside or get lost in shuffle of life for many of us. And that's okay! Because every day we get to start again! So that's what this blog is all about. It's about fresh starts and re-cleaned slates. It's about trying every day to put one foot in front of the other to achieve something. But it's also about not getting all bent out of shape at the setbacks and just continuing on again the next day. It's for accountability and shared experiences. It's for me to take a stand against procrastination...and do it today! So thanks again for your help and hopefully that explains this blog a little. Next up is getting my training timeline & goals in writing and posted on here, and then...getting started! Cheers!