Well, this is it! We are less than one week until the end of 2022! How was your year? Hopefully your answer is wonderful, regardless though, we are on our way to a better 2023!
This week is the third of my goal setting series. As a quick reminder, we set the TIMER a couple weeks ago:
Target
Identity
Map
Exact
Reality
Target is the goal we are trying to reach in a few sentences.
Identity is the person we see ourselves once we’ve reached that goal, remember we are that person
Map is the high level steps for how we get from today to that identity
Exact is the specific methods for reaching each step along the map
What is this one?
Finally, reality is the only step left! Here is yet another spot where my technique is different than most.
You will notice several similarities to the Identity step in that embracing positive feelings and momentum is the major focus. What is different here is with each win, regardless of how significant or insignificant, we form our new Reality, from which we begin our next step. Furthermore, we should Recognize our accomplishment and Recap the process through which we reached these.
Reality is, I had many options for the R in my acronym, though I am pleased with my choice!
We’ve gone through the weightloss example for a few weeks, so let’s take that one here first. After a few weeks, let’s say we hit our five pound goal, so we celebrate, though not with sweets. Instead, we deserve to Recognize we have reached a major milestone along the way. It may be difficult for some, but don’t be afraid to tell a friend or maybe someone you’ve met along the way. Be proud of yourself!!
As a reminder, I gave the Exact steps of going to the gym and bringing lunch to reach these goals, so Recap how those have contributed to your goal, particularly any additional unintended benefits. For example, do you now have a gym buddy? Or a new lunch break buddy at work? Maybe there is a class your gym offers you enjoy? Better yet, you realize there’s a cute person who goes to the gym the same day(s) as you do. These are all benefits beyond our one goal that should be considered as positives!
Oh my gosh, interjecting a funny story!! I went to the gym on my work’s campus for the first time in months, and the ladies who work there totally called me out! We laughed about it, but it does compel me to go there instead of coming to my apartment gym, which I have been doing a bit thank you very much! Anyway,
For my personal example of becoming a writer, I do make a mental note of when I hit another word threshold, as I am nearing 45k words since I started tracking on November 1st. Moreover, this is my ninth post, which means double digits next week! These aren’t big deals in the grand scheme of things, rather these are concrete numbers that show my Identity is becoming a Reality.
So I must divulge a little secret. I hit a little wall this past week with my writing, breaking my streak of consecutive days. I tried to fake it one day by going through the motions, getting a couple hundred words that won’t ever see the light of day. Then the next day, I didn’t even do that. Holiday stress on top of car troubles on top of the cold weather that makes it feel so wonderful to stay in bed extra long was enough for me.
Sure I am disappointed, but Reality is, I have so much to show for it, and all I need is to Recognize the successes I had along the way, Recap how I reached those successes, and Relive that Identity I believe I will become.
This past week was my turn, but inevitably we will all reach this point. Afterall, we are human, we do get stressed, distracted, tired, cold, heck even sick from time to time, so we need to have a structure in place that we can easily fall back into. By making each success a Reality, we are creating a safety net to catch us before we fall too far.
The holidays will be a struggle for any weight loss goal, but we can make sure we are back to the gym and packing our lunch in January. If we are learning that instrument, but skipped a week of lessons, we just get back to our routine in January. We have done it before, so this time it will be pretty easy!
Even I can do it, so certainly you can too!
Final words for 2022! I have reason to believe there are people actually who read this, for which I am truly incredibly so very thankful! Whether it’s your first, ninth, or anywhere in between, you make me happy for spending five or so minutes with me each week!
While I thoroughly enjoy writing these, and writing in general, I hope I have helped you learn something or at least made you think.
I wish you clearly see my passion for this and how faithfully I believe anyone can be ecstatic about who they are!
See you in 2023!!!
