actually, 35 years and 87 lbs later
i’m wearing my hard hat and working hard at my computer.
this blogpost is in the works and will be finished sO..On…
34 and 87 !!! holy moley !!! that’s a lot of years and a lot of Xtra pounds.
how did this happen to me?
and my 50 year high school reunion is coming this year ! no, no, no !
i can’t be this old and this fat and this unmotivated. no, this can’t be real.
editorial notes indented
i’ll be running a 5k race soon
running / mainly walking / a 5k race
track the journey of this mini-goal from just thinking about this upcoming 5k race and to registering online. then to crossing the finish line. and using this momentum to set my next mini-goal.
track the motivation and frustration leading to the decision to register for a 5K race – unprepared without a pair of running shoes. and the mini-steps to get there and to finish (just finish vertical, walking) the race. and the significance of achieving micro goals. and how achieving micro goals can change your world.
talk about the habit changes that come with achieving mini-goals. and how mini-goals drive our major goals, and ultimately our lives
and talk about the generational ripple effect of achieving micro-goals at any age. your children and grandchildren are watching and learning.
coffee time: do do i write this story in long form. because maybe a few readers will like all of the details?
or write this story in short form? and create an ebook from the short version? or both?
and do i create a facebook LIVE video to support this post
yes, create an ebook from the shortened version with bullet points and link to the longer form version
who is my avatar? who will benefit from reading this? who will be motivated? write to that one person. who needs to be made whole by achieving a mini-goal? and who desperately needs to accumulate some successful mini-goals (like me).
write to that someone who has quit, but needs to re-start. who is this person?
i believe writing about achieving this mini-goal as a narrative is best. and then find the bullet points that are the backbone of this course in progress called “take your life back.” write about the fears addressed and the steps you take thru your fears to confidence and success – “take your life back”
create an ebook from the shortened version with bullet points and link to the long form version
just write it. use your best thinking, and trust god to handle the rest. don’t stress. just publish. “publish or perish.”
so i registered for this 5K race…
yes. i registered for this 5K race, because i needed a goal to pursue that would get me back into regular motion. for my physical body. and to get me back to better thinking about goals. for the rest of my life.
the money spent ($30 – ?) for the race would guarantee that i would be there. (i’m not going to waste $30.00) wearing the t-shirt afterwards would give me bragging rights. and start conversations with people about why i ran this race. and spark conversations about fitness. and goal setting.
and sleeping in a running shirt will bring back memories of younger and happier and healthier days. and i will spend part of a saturday – race day – with some positive, motivated people focused on their fitness. and focused on setting and achieving goals.
the race is sponsored by Orlando Pride – Orlando’s women’s soccer team. most runners will be those crazy purple people. it’s gotta be fun. i will wear my purple hair during the race.
maybe the biggest reason why to do this. one that i don’t verbalize is anger and frustration.
yes, i do have a chip on my shoulder. i have something to prove to that younger generation.
it seems like people ignore old people and start treating you differently (less than), as if you can’t learn technology, or as if you can’t do something significant.
and all of your past accomplishments are so old that they are not relevant anymore. i feel like i am a discarded, obsolete piece of software.
so i want to make a statement.
“i’m back. can you hear me? can you see me? i’m not leaving this earth yet.”
even if this just means wearing a race t-shirt for a week.
it’s my 4th quarter. time for some big plays.
i played a very strong 1st and 2nd quarter. my 3rd quarter was questionable. and my 4th quarter has started slowly.
here’s the back story. in my 30’s i used to run a 10k (6.2 miles) every other weekend with three of my running buddies. we ran together every morning. and i ran again by myself every evening.
so running twice a day was normal for me. seven days a week. and i enjoyed collecting a race t-shirt every 2 weeks. (yes, i was one of those people.) my running buddies and i had a good time running every morning and enjoyed each other’s company.
this bond created a mentally strong support group. this disciplined routine made it easy to achieve other life goals, too.
i earned my last running t-shirt more than 30 years ago (actually 35 years ago). and that was more then 80 pounds ago (87 #’s).
so i have a different body today than “way back then.” i’m partially bionic with a new hip and am learning how to walk and run again after six years of hobbling with a cane and a walker. so this 5k race is a much bigger challenge than it would have been 35 years ago.
in fact, 35 years ago my running partners and i would not have run a 5k race. that would have been embarrassing to run a “baby race” like 3.1 miles. that’s not even enough distance for a good pre-race stretch. as i write, i realize i have a bigger chip on my shoulder than i thought. and that’s fine if i can use this as motivation to start on a healthy path again.
here are the real reasons to run a 5K race.
i have an irritating chip on my shoulder. something to prove to those younger people.
i’m tired of looking at my fat body.
my vanity is demanding that i lose some weight before my 50th high school reunion. and i want to be healthier so i can do more things with my grandchildren. like throw the football, play basketball, go swimming at the pool, go to the beach and body surf, go hiking. and much more.
and i have a giant secret “bucket list” goal of hiking the appalachian trail – a mere 2,185 miles. i have some other secret “bucket list” goals that would be fun to share and to do after i have completed one or more mini-goals. mini-goals like running this 5K race.
so there ya have it. my reasons. my whys. some i am willing to share. others i am still hiding.
i am at a crossroads
standing at a major crossroads in life.
i’m creating some new daily habits to achieve a simple mini-goal.
so what have you been thinking as you read this?
what about you? have you quit in your 4th quarter? are you at a crossroads in your life?
what would you do? what could you do if you were to achieve a mini-goal? what is a mini-goal that you could start today? would you be willing to share some scary “bucket list” goals with me and others?
as you think beyond your mini-goals, would you like to leave a meaningful legacy?
do some of your legacy goals require more discipline, more courage, more confidence than just a mini-goal. maybe your “more” could start by achieving one mini-goals?
editorial notes indented
hey. old man, this is a gO..Od start to the ideas and emotions needed to create and drive a course on change. winning the inner battle. and “take your life back.” i’m needing to make some massive changes in the 4th quarter of my life. starting with mini-goals and changing some daily habits. leading to massive changes.
i placed a shortcut to this blogpost on my phone for handy reading. so i can embed these ideas into my mind, for reading before bed so my subconscious can work while i sleep and create the course curriculum for “take your life back”
so i can achieve my mini-goal and see my mistakes along the way. and so i can see my emotional and psychological “starts and stops”
if i can successfully address these “starts and stops,” i can motivate and teach other babybOOmers to do the same.
note: inject the body of science from the book “learned optimism” and the ABCDE method into this course – “take your life back”
more to come…
hard at work in my idea factory