Chasing the Dang Carrot

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Last week in the gym, I got beat up by a few chicks, a Navy Seal, and a super hero.  For some reason, the Crossfit Frederick Powers That Be decided to kick it up, oh, about 20 notches and test everyone.  Coincidentally, this is the week that I was able to go to the gym Every. Single. Day.  For 6 days.  I'm not complaining, I'm simply realizing that neither sore muscles, frustration, or schedule conflicts for some reason were able compete with my arrival through the gym doors every day.  This was my first 6 day workout week.  Ever. 

For the non-Crossfitters (WHAT?) let me explain before I go any further.  Crossfit names many of their workouts after people.  Some of them are people we know, and others are heroes who died in Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere.  And some have super powers.  King Kong, Incredible Hulk, Hello Bad Kitty, and many more.  Last week, we endured Fran, Megan, Diane, Murph, and the Incredible Hulk.  Saturday was a team WOD that used a very large hammer to beat the final nail into the week's workout coffin. 

"Why?" "What were you thinking?" It all boils down to motivation.  Behind every goal, tiny to huge, lies a corresponding motivation.  Everyone juggles at least 5-6 goals at once, re-prioritizing and reorganizing constantly.  At work and at home, we have goals by the minute, hour, day and week.  When there's so much competing for our motivation, it seems selfish to place a personal goal in a lead position.   Just like dogs, we learn that a reward waits for an achieved goal.  Sometimes, our motivation becomes muddied in the waters of many goals being juggled simultaneously, and we lose sight of it. 

Write it down.  Put it where you will see it.  Don't write it on a piece of paper and stuff it in a safe place, only to be forgotten in a matter of hours.  I used to write goals in a secret place, because I was embarassed about them and I would be horrified if anyone found them and realized I didn't meet them.  That was the Angela from a few years ago.  2013 was different.

This is a fairly personal part of me.  I used my iphone app, look at the date, and clarified some goals for myself for the upcoming year.  You can judge me by my goals if you'd like, maybe they aren't important or philanthropic, but they are goals that I set for me on the first Friday morning of the year.  Personally.  Not for the world, my husband, my kids or my home.  At 11:40 in the morning on January 4, I typed them out, and I've looked at it at least 100 times since.  The motivation behind all these is personal accomplishment and satisfaction.  I'm well on my way to meeting or exceeding all of these, (I know, the kinder one will take me the most work), because I refuse to lose sight of them.  If another one pops in, I'm going to add it to the list.

I could give you the detailed motivation behind each, but it's not necessary.  These are my goals that come from a place in me.  Some of them are obvious (Yep, I felt like I was drinking too much) and less obvious (What's so important about a pull-up - is she talking about the diapers?)  The bottom line is that my motivations belong to me, just as yours belong to you.  We may have the same goal here and there, but our motivations come from our entire histories and personality. 

You could go all Hollywood and write it in red lipstick on your mirror.  You can be a total geek and make a spread sheet with including goal setting dates.  You can write it on the back of your Costco receipt right now.  If you have an iphone, there's an app for that.  Whatever you choose, put them all down, and re-read them. 

I have no idea what my 2014 goals will look like.  I would like to stand on top of that rock that the girl in the Citicard commercial climbs, but it should probably wait until I achieve a prior goal, "learn to rock climb."  I do know that the daily goals of resupplying groceries, paying the bills, and keeping up with the mountains of laundry will always be there.  So make room for the personal ones, and keep them prioritized.