Simple Plans and Limiting Thoughts

"Before you can do anything, you must first learn to do One Thing."
- Gordon Byrn

This week I got away from the consistency of my previous weeks. I didn't write out my professional and personal objectives on Sunday evening--as I have done that past two weeks. Without this clear vision, I was pretty much all over the board. My work got done this week, I got some good swims in, and two runs, but there wasn't that sense of focus for each day. In short, things got done but they weren't lined up well. So, I'll spend a quality hour this afternoon writing out my week.

I'm still dumb founded at how hard it can be to follow a simple plan. In my case this week, the "plan" portion was missing from the two part equation of plan and execute. I don't see this as being a phenomenon that is limited to myself. No cosmic commentary on this. I'll continue to work on doing "One Thing."

I've created a running club at work to support people who are going to run the 2008 Rock 'n Roll Marathon--a few are doing the full and some are doing the half. One of the ladies who signed up for the half had some things to mull over, so we sat down and talked it over this past week. Before we got down to brass tacks, I had a few simple questions: "How far have you run before," and "How many days can you commit to running." I could see her get a little uneasy. So I responded to the moment and said, "It's all right. I'm not judging you, just trying to determine what is a reasonable place to start with your training."

Then something happened that I was not expecting. She responded by saying, "I know. I'm judging myself." Gosh, how many times have I done that before?!! How many times have I done that and it's limited me from doing something that I would really enjoy?! I wish I could come up with a number, but it's been often.

When I was working as an auditor--a job in hindsight that I didn't enjoy very much--I had a vent session with my Uncle Paul. He said something that has stuck with me since that moment: "If you continue to think this way, you will end up taking yourself out of the game before it even starts." A very wise comment. It's best to take things step by step. Again, it goes back to doing One Thing.

That's all I got today. My body is banged up, starting to feel some fatigue setting in from training. I'll have to take this into account with my planning for this week. Nothing I can't handle as long as I sit down and actually plan.....

Namaste