4/18/06

Obviously, I like to talk about goals...as my past several newsletters have revolved around this subject! :) BUT...it is such an important topic...therefore, it is on my mind yet again, and I will share my thoughts with you!

Ambiguity can be considered the enemy in one's process of working towards a goal. At the risk of sounding a bit philosophical, nothing is ever black or white...most of the time, there is a shade of grey that suits things just fine. I want to emphasize that it is important in the process of goal-setting that one does not assume they must conform to strict and rigid boundaries. Another enemy that can creep in and pose a threat to one's efforts is "all or nothing" thinking. Been there, done that... :)

Planning is essential, however, if you are serious about your progress and are ready to make a commitment to change. Here's a simple task:

Take a piece of paper and divide it into two colums by drawing a line down the center. Label the left-hand column "Strengths," and the right-hand column "Needs Work." Now, the trick is to not be too darn hard on yourself! lol Back in the day, my "needs work" column would be several pages long...while my "strengths" column would take up, oh...maybe half the page? We each have so many wonderful attributes...remind yourself of these, and get them down on paper! Focus on your strengths first, and then the "needs work" list. You can always go back and forth between the two as you think of attributes.

You may know me personally, or you may just know of me through my work as a fitness professional. I have nothing to hide, therefore I will share the start of my own list with you!

It goes something like this:

(as a bonus question...can anyone guess my astrological sign? lol) ;)

STRENGTHS NEEDS WORK

intrinsically motivated tendency to procrastinate

passionate at times too hard on myself

experience & know-how pertaining to my field take more risks

empathetic time management

self-driven finding balance

book smarts common sense-smarts :)

ability to work with all kinds of people assertiveness

creativity communication

writing skills organization

Capitalize on your strengths and use these to work on those aspects of yourself that may need a little work. Take a look at each list. Which one is longer? Are they fairly even in length? If your "needs work" column is considerably longer than your "strengths," this may be indicative of your own views of yourself. Remember that we are all working on improving ourselves...this should be a daily "project," as we grow and evolve as human beings through learning from our mistakes. Give yourself credit for your attempts, and take something away from every obstacle that you encounter. You may just learn something about yourself! :)