Tag: Goal Setting

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A Warmer Week and the Battle Against Procrastination

Written January 27, 2025

Hello Dear Readers,

At long last, it seems the days of running in the bone-chilling cold are behind me. No more bracing for that sharp, icy slap of air first thing in the morning. As long as I give the sun a little time to do its job, the temperatures are downright pleasant. Granted, today still has a bit of a seasonal chill, but compared to last week? Practically tropical. And if the forecast holds, we might even tiptoe into actual warm territory soon.

With the start of a new week, I’m determined to hit the ground running—both literally and figuratively. I’ve stacked my to-do list a little higher than usual since my wife has been working longer hours. It’s her busiest season (audit and tax season—fun times), so I’m trying to take some things off her plate. A small gesture, but one that hopefully makes a difference.

The upside of this milder weather? My runs are feeling smoother, and faster when it’s too cold, my body protests. But now? Now, I can focus on picking up my pace and making the most of my workouts. And, of course, with spring around the corner, outdoor chores are about to demand their fair share of attention.

After wrapping up my morning exercise, I dove into my other tasks. Blog post? Almost done. Run? Still on the agenda. And then there’s my writing project—the one I’ve been neglecting. I plan to chip away at it while listening to Sanderson’s writing lectures, which, if I’m being honest, I should have been doing last week.

Confession time: I completely slacked off. I let distractions win. Writing? Ignored. Lectures? Skipped. The result? I’m further behind than I should be, and to make matters worse, I’m still floundering when it comes to figuring out how long writing a book should take. That uncertainty makes it too easy to procrastinate.

My wife, on the other hand, takes a much more structured approach. Whenever she starts a new writing project, she logs everything—research time, drafting hours, and revisions. She fully admits her memory isn’t great for tracking details, so she writes it all down. And here’s the key: after going through the process a few times, she gets a clear sense of how long each phase takes. She’s cracked the code.

Maybe it’s time I do the same. If I track my progress, I might finally figure out what’s realistic instead of just guessing (or, worse, stalling). So, here’s to getting back on track—one run, one blog post, and one writing session at a time.

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Relentless Forward Motion: Embracing the Grind, One Run at a Time

Written 01/26/2025

Hello Dear Readers,

Ah, what a difference a week makes! The weather has finally decided to cooperate, and my runs are feeling much more bearable. Yesterday was so mild that I nearly ditched my windbreaker altogether. Gloves? Left them behind. And guess what? I didn’t regret it.

Running in this kind of weather is a dream. My body isn’t wasting energy trying to keep warm or cool down—it’s actually focusing on, you know, running. And the results? Well, let’s just say I had a good day. Not only did I crush my target pace for two consecutive 5Ks, but I also set a new personal best for my 10K. Not too shabby for a guy who, just a few years ago, had to relearn how to control his body.

My goal for this year? A sub-9-minute-per-kilometer 5K. Ambitious? Maybe. But here’s the kicker: It’s only January, and I’ve already pushed my pace down to 9:32/km. That’s progress. Real, tangible progress.

Now, let’s talk about running for a second. It’s a weird sport. Improvement is painfully slow, especially if you start from zero—trust me, I know. I wouldn’t call myself fast (or even moderately speedy), but I’m persistent. Whether the weather is unforgivingly cold or oppressively hot, I lace up and hit the road. I don’t quit. I just keep going.

My wife once told me that, eventually, running wouldn’t feel like a struggle—it would just be something I did. And she was right. At some point, my body got used to it. Even more surprisingly, I started experiencing what she calls “runner’s high.” She used to rave about how addictive it was, and while I wouldn’t say I’m hooked just yet, I do get it now. There’s something incredibly rewarding about seeing progress, even when it happens at a pace that would make a snail yawn.

Zooming out and looking at my progress over a year instead of obsessing over daily runs? That’s when I truly see how far I’ve come.

Of course, once summer rolls around, I expect my pace to slow down again—because running in the heat is basically self-inflicted suffering. But come fall, I’ll be ready to pick up speed again. The key is consistency. Just keep running, and the results will follow.

Oh, and speaking of progress, my planking game is back on track. Two-minute sessions are feeling solid again, thanks to the new platform. So, endurance? We’re rebuilding that, too.

All in all, I’d say things are looking pretty good. Now, let’s see what next week’s runs bring!

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Reflections on My 1,000 KM Running Goal: Lessons and Adjustments

Written December 15, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

So, I checked my progress toward my 1,000 km running goal again to ensure I wasn’t wrong the other day. I reconfirmed that I will reach my goals within this year. All I need to do is do another round of 10k runs. 

While checking my logs, I analyzed why my total distance run was much lower than the prior year. After all, I aimed for 25k per week, so I should have hit 1300k. Then, I realized I started using this app on February 23, 2024. Then, we went on a vacation. Missing nearly 2 months makes a massive difference in the distance, approximately 200 km.

Additionally, before I adopted my early morning running schedule during the hot summer, there were days when I skipped running due to the heat. I figured out how to deal with the summer heat in Tennessee, and it will be good for next year. Some days, I shortened my 10k runs to only 5k due to excess heat.

Since I know I ran during January and early February, I suspect I have already run over 1000 kilometers this year. However, since I’m using my app as my official record, I still want to get those numbers to meet my goal.

Why am I doing this? My wife calls it variance analysis. Variance analysis analyzes the GAP between goals and the prior year. It helps me create realistic goals. During 2024, I learned many things, such as switching my running schedule to extreme weather. 

I will shave off 1 minute from a 5km run for the following year. I am considering mixing my run with long and short runs to improve my speed.

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Pushing Through Challenges: My Journey to 1000 Kilometers

Written December 13, 2024

reviewed 12/21

Hello Dear Readers,

It has nearly ended with my last-minute goal adjustments. The change was in effect only for one month, but it was more challenging than I initially thought. 

We are having chilly weather, which is my biggest obstacle these days. Seriously, running 10 km can be daunting. I don’t even remember how I managed it since I used to do it regularly last year. , even though

Today is chilly, so every breath hurts my nose as if I were eating horseradish or Wasabi. I don’t mind this type of nose shock when eating delicious food, but it is not as pleasant when trying to run 10 kilometers. Despite the chilly temperatures, I succeeded in completing my scheduled 10-kilometer run.

At this point,  I think I’ll only need to do one more week of 10km to achieve my 1000-kilometer goal for the year. I’m glad that I’ve already completed my speed goal for the year since I find it very difficult to run faster when I’m pacing myself for a 10k. Once I complete this goal, I will accomplish one or two. 

My general plan is to try for speed again next year and shave a minute off my time for a 5-kilometer run. It was difficult to shave off 1 minute this year, so I expected it would be difficult again. I am also considering doing more 10-kilometer runs than this year. A regular 10-kilometer run will help me increase my lung capacity. I will consult with my body and log all I can do. 

Before I had a brain stroke, the first year I started dating my wife, she introduced me to running. I was never a runner, but my wife introduced me to the Couch to 5k program. By the end of the program, I learned to jog 5k. Then, my sister started doing the Couch to 5k program. I stopped running, though.

This was my 2nd attempt at developing a serious running habit. I know how not to complete my running goals. While learning how to run in my 2nd effort, I realized something more substantial: consistency and persistence with your decisions. Don’t be a perfectionist when it comes to your goals. If you fail at doing it a day, return to it the next day. If you don’t do very well, then adjust your goal. Just be consistent with the goal. Even with some improvement, it can be significant after several years. 

I will consult my running with my wife and a friend to see if it makes sense or get their advice. For now, I will be happy that I am about to complete my 2nd running goal for the year.

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Tweeked Around My Schedule To Achieve My Running Goal

Written December 1, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

When you have a strategic vision, it is vital to check your progress status. To reach my goal, I still need to run an extra 38 kilometers on top of my regular 25 kilometers weekly. So, I recalculated how close I was to achieving my goal to run 1,000 kilometers by the end of the year. If I increase 8 of my runs to 10km over the next 4 weeks, I’ll make 1,000 km. However, that would mean running a 10k on Christmas day, which might not be possible.

My sister and mother plan to celebrate Christmas at my other sister’s house. They invited us as well, but my wife couldn’t take so many consecutive days off as she had to prepare for the upcoming year’s end. So it looks like we are going to spend our Christmas by ourselves. My sister will also be moving by the end of the year after returning from the trip. They may need our help. So, I don’t want to have a too tight schedule. 

After tweaking my goals, I concluded that I’ll need to increase all my runs this upcoming week and likely do so again the following week. My plan is still tight. I’ll need to recalculate my weekly progress and update my plans as more information becomes available.

I like it around this season, but it can be challenging, especially if you adjust the goal at the last minute like I did. My wife started to post book reviews on Goodreads. She started updating what she read in July this year. Since it was only 6 months left when she started, she wanted to read four big books, each containing over 1300 pages. So, she initially made the goal 50. She ended up adjusting to 60 in November. 

My wife has long-term goals and vision but adjusts her tactics and goals weekly. I’ve never done this as frequently as she does with her visions, but maybe that is why she generally completes whatever she decides. She also ditches something that does not work very well. She said that sometimes, you don’t know if the goal is feasible until you have tried it. If you have too many goals running simultaneously to the point you have no time, it is important to let some of them go, especially if the goal is not attainable due to a lack of resources. She tells me that she made a fair number of mistakes in the past by not letting go. 

I usually schedule my time according to priority. I consider running a high priority and will maximize my running time. Then, I get into trouble when higher priorities than running, like spending time with my family, pop up. I do not manage my schedule like my wife, but my method works for me. That is the most important thing about strategic management.

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Navigating Fitness Goals: A Professor’s Perspective

Written on February 26, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

As the year began, I embarked on a fitness journey, meticulously crafting an exercise regimen to meet my annual objectives. This endeavor progressed smoothly until an unexpected setback occurred—I sustained an injury during my workouts. This incident led me to realize that perhaps my physique had yet to adapt to the demands of my newly formulated workout plan. Upon resuming my entire exercise routine, I recognized the necessity to reassess and adjust the intensity of my schedule to better accommodate my current physical capabilities.

The essence of achieving any goal lies in creating a memorable and trackable strategy. This is a lesson I frequently impart to my students at the university. Despite its apparent simplicity, it’s astonishing how often this principle is overlooked, resulting in many falling short of their ambitions. When I applied this methodology to my fitness regimen, the tangible outcomes began to manifest, prompting a thorough evaluation of my previous efforts and outcomes.

Reflecting on my journey, it became evident that my earlier injury likely resulted from overly ambitious increments in the weights I used for curls. After conducting thorough research and contemplation, I devised a more calculated approach to increasing weights. I resolved that only when I could complete 25 repetitions of a curl with a given weight without interruption would I consider advancing to a heavier weight. Conversely, I would reduce the weight if I struggled to perform at least 15 curls. My daily target would be between 20 to 25 repetitions, with Saturdays designated as the day to assess whether I was prepared to elevate the intensity of my workout.

This revised strategy serves dual purposes. Firstly, it ensures that I do not prematurely escalate the difficulty of my exercises, thereby mitigating the risk of injury. Secondly, it provides a structured framework to consistently monitor my progress and adjust as needed. This balanced approach encourages gradual improvement while safeguarding against the pitfalls of overexertion. The actual test of this method’s efficacy will be observed in the coming months as I continue to navigate the challenges and triumphs of my fitness journey.

In retrospect, this experience underscores the importance of listening to one’s body and acknowledging the signals it provides. The journey toward fitness and health is uniquely personal, requiring a bespoke approach considering individual capabilities, limitations, and aspirations. By adopting a more reflective and measured stance towards exercise, I am hopeful that I will achieve my fitness goals and foster a sustainable and enjoyable relationship with physical activity.

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Navigating Obstacles on the Path to Fitness Goals

Written on February 7, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

Embarking on a journey toward a fitness goal can often feel like setting sail into a storm. No matter the depth of commitment or the precision of planning, unforeseen challenges emerge, ready to test our resolve. This has been my reality, particularly in enhancing my physical strength through a rigorous muscle exercise regimen.

It’s been over a year since I initiated this quest, beginning with pull-ups before progressively integrating core muscle exercises into my routine. My dedication mirrored my commitment to running, hardly ever missing a day unless circumstances made accessing my exercise equipment utterly impossible.

At the dawn of this year, I laid out a meticulous exercise plan, pledging unwavering allegiance to it. This commitment bore fruit, as only a day went by with me adhering to my regimen. However, recent days have seen wavering in this steadfastness, prompting me to reconsider aspects of my training program.

The catalyst for this reevaluation has been an injury, a stark reminder of the physical toll that such a regimen can exact. A few weeks ago, in my zeal, I overstrained a muscle, resulting in lingering pain that has scarcely improved. Initially, I attempted to soldier on, moderating the intensity of my workouts. Yet, the mere act of performing a single dip would reignite the pain, leading me to the realization that continuing my exercises might do more harm than good.

In response to this setback, I’ve crafted a new strategy to navigate this period of uncertainty. Until the pain subsides completely, I’ve forego curls and dips, exacerbating my discomfort. Nevertheless, I remain optimistic about continuing with pull-ups, pullovers, push-ups, and planks. I hope this adaptation will continue my progress.

This temporary suspension of specific exercises forces me to confront the possibility of recalibrating the pace at which I increase weights and repetitions. The injury suggests that my body requires more than a week to sufficiently recover and strengthen before taking on more significant challenges.

Life, in its unpredictability, mirrors this journey. Altering my plan does not signify defeat but rather an adaptive strategy to ensure I continue moving toward my objectives, albeit at a modified pace. Such is the nature of pursuing any goal: it demands flexibility, resilience, and the wisdom to recognize when to push forward and step back for long-term success.

This experience underscores a fundamental truth in pursuing fitness or any personal endeavor: the path to achievement is seldom linear. Obstacles, be they injuries or other unforeseen challenges, are not roadblocks but detours necessitating patience, adaptability, and perseverance. As I navigate this hiccup in my fitness journey, the lesson is clear – resilience in the face of adversity is about enduring and evolving in response to the challenges we encounter.

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The Power of Routine: A Personal Journey of Supporting a Loved One

Hello, Dear readers,

After experiencing a stroke and losing my job, I made a heartfelt commitment to support my wife in any way I could. She transitioned into the role of the primary earner for our small household, excelling in her work far beyond the call of duty. Her hard work has not gone unnoticed; she’s earned numerous corporate awards and sees significant raises nearly yearly. Given her dedication, I make it a point to shoulder any chores or tasks she might otherwise feel obligated to do. This decision has allowed me to hone habit formation and routine building.

While I still need to fill my week with tasks, the possibility looms. There might come a day when I have to scale back or adjust my routine, perhaps rotating some monthly chores instead of tackling them weekly. I recently had an affirming moment when I returned from a week-long vacation with my sisters. My wife exclaimed those certain chores had gone undone in my absence. Although she managed to cover most bases, routine tasks awaited me. I saw this as a triumph, indicating that my efforts lighten her load. My system successfully achieves its intended purpose, which is as much as one can hope for.

Periodic evaluation of my routines is crucial. I need to assess whether they align with their intended goals or if some need to be modified or scrapped. This doesn’t require constant attention but should be an annual exercise. Over the past few years, my wife and I have discussed our significant goals for the coming 12 months around the New Year. This reflective moment is an excellent opportunity to review the efficacy of my established routines and habits.

Thank you for joining me on this journey, and I hope my experiences offer you some valuable insights into the importance of thoughtful habit formation.

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Goal-Setting 101: How to Use Rules and Triggers for Habit Building

t helps to determine rules and triggers to develop and maintain your habits. As with my running goal last year, I knew that sometimes events would conspire against me being able to meet my 35k per week goal. As such, I needed to determine some rules to play by. I had to ensure that my rules supported my plan rather than excuses I could fall back on. The first step I took in crafting my rules was to investigate what my goal was.

 

My goal was to run 35k per week, but I wanted to regain mobility endurance and support my health. Recognizing these as my real goals helped me create appropriate rules. For example, one of my rules is that I will not run if there is snow/ice on the ground. This rule would conflict if my true goal were the 35k per week. However, since my true goal is mobility, doing something that has a substantial risk of decreasing my mobility via a broken ankle from slipping/falling is counterproductive.

I tested all of my potential rules against my goals in this manner. Setting up rules like this is crucial because otherwise, I would be relying on Ad Hoc decisions, which are too easily influenced by current emotions.

As much as I wanted to achieve my actual goals and that I became focused on reaching 35k each week, there were plenty of days when I dreaded running, and it took great effort to force myself to go out. If I had not established a strict running schedule on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, I probably would have made excuses and failed to achieve my goal by missing too many days.

The other half of this equation is setting up triggers. Triggers are events or times that prompt a response or when to apply a rule. Every run day, my trigger for getting ready for running is after I use the bathroom. Every morning, after breakfast and coffee, I’ll eventually have to use the toilet; I use this as my trigger for running. After I use the bathroom, I change into my running clothes instead of returning to my computer. My no running on snow ice rule is triggered by looking out the front door when I get my second cup of coffee. If there’s snow/ice visible on my ground now, I cancel my run.

So when trying to develop your habits, First figure out your actual goals and test your habit ideas against your real goals. Second, build your ruleset so you’re not relying on feelings or motivation, and be strict with your rules. Don’t give yourself any excuses for ignoring your rules. You might need to create a new rule if you can’t do the desired behavior. Just ensure you test this new rule against your goals. Finally, make your triggers. Use alarms on your phone if you can’t find commonly occurring events.