My Kind of Pep Talk and The Fear of Setting Goals

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

This is the time of year when everyone puts out a motivational speech or two and sets the bar they plan to meet for the coming year.

Just writing that sentence makes me kinda wiggy and here’s why:

Goal-setting is not my happy place.

Having achieved my goals (as in the past tense)? That’s my happy place.

Until I write my yearly goals down, they’re just kind of floaty and fluffy ideas. Once I write them down and share them? I’ve thrown the gauntlet! It’s game on.

I’ve been trying to make my list of 2013 goals since Christmas when two of my over-achieving perky critique partners posted theirs.

Every time I’d get started, my heart rate would accelerate, along with my breathing, and I’d start feeling stressed out. It was downright embarrassing. And tiring. It’s really hard to set goals when you’re tired so I’d go to sleep and try again the next day.

I just finished my goals Tuesday night. That’s TWO WEEKS just to put down some damn goals. And I stopped counting how many times I had to save and then re-open that document before I got them done.

(Don’t worry, I’ll be jumping into ROW80 and posting them this Sunday.)

What else do I like to “have done,” rather than “do?”

• Exercise
  It’s been a common story in my working-out-life for me to fail without a workout partner. My hubby was nice enough to go with me the first three months to help us both get back into the routine but the best plan I’ve come up with on my own is “do it in the morning before I’m really awake.”
• Writing
  As Bob Mayer says: Most writers like to have written. They like to see those pages in their rearview mirror. I usually trick myself by using Scrivener and just writing scenes. I’m not under a book deadline so this is working for me right now to keep going. When the time comes to stitch it all together, my critique partners are going to have to slap me around.
• Cleaning
  Not only do I hate cleaning, but I’m allergic to dust and many cleaning products. The way I get around this is (a) I pay $75 for a deep cleaning once a month and (b) I use a lot of cleaning devices that give me distance, like an electric broom instead of one where I have to use a dustpan. However, I adore having a clean house…so I do the maintenance cleaning while I talk on the phone. Multi-tasking makes me happy.

I did read one pep talk this week that resonated with me.

I loved it so much I included it in Tuesday’s list of links. The “call to action” below came from Lisbeth Darsh (aka Crossfit Lisbeth) and it’s a fantastic no-nonsense ass-kickin’ for the new year. I needed one.

I rarely lift things verbatim but I’m going to because what she wrote is SO good. Be sure to click the link below to subscribe to her blog – this gal has some sassy words to share.

Here’s Lisbeth’s “Five No-Bullshit Ways to Stay Motivated“:

1.) Stop reading bullshit! If it sucks, put it down! Scroll by. Life’s too short to put crap between your ears.

2.) Keep f*@$ing going! Go to the gym almost every day. (We can substitute this for writing or whatever.) Rest when you need to.

3.) Kick yourself in your own ass. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. “Waah waah waah. My life is hard. I’m so busy. I have so much to do.” Guess what? So does everybody else! And some people are doing their stuff with cancer or a couple of fewer limbs than you. Stop bellyaching and snap your own crap up!

4.) Don’t hang around with losers. We’ve been over this before: you are who you spend time with. Think about it.

5.) Expect more of yourself. (This means accept yourself, fix what needs fixing and press on.)

Now, I could end this with some photos of flowers and some words about love and kindness, but a group hug and a round of Kumbaya aren’t going to help you stay off the couch and your a$$. Daylight is burning, baby! Stop reading and go do. Now.

[See? I told you! AWESOME.]

Do you love goals or hyperventilate over them? Who helps you be accountable to achieve your goals? What is your most treasured goal for 2013? Share it with us here in the comments! Enquiring minds always want to know these things here at More Cowbell…

Jenny