WOD #173 "Mental Training"

When there is a second to pause, it's interesting to think about the last few weeks. I don't know about you, but the New Year feels like it just happened yesterday. In actuality, the year is already a quarter of the way over. During the fury of the daily life, it's so easy to lose track of the weeks, the months, and eventually.. the years. 

It seems this gets worse with every passing year of life. Time just evaporates. And if you're anything like me, that leaves plenty of space for some intense FOMO (fear of missing out). 

Are we living the lives we want? Are we finding as much joy in daily moments as we'd like? Or are we simply surviving, trying to make it to the next weekend. 

"Life is available only in the present moment. If you abandon the present moment, you cannot live the moments of your daily life deeply." -Tik Nak Hahn

My theory, is that we take breaks from ourselves far too often. We plug in, we socialize, we drink, we work, we do whatever makes us happy and/or numbs us from having to deal with ourselves.

With that, we don't make time to get to know ourselves.

Isn't that a strange thought?

We don't often sit down with ourselves, and think about who we are, what we want, where we haven't gone, what we haven't done, what our strengths are, what are weaknesses are, and what goals we've overcome or have yet to set.

Try it out. Give yourself an hour this weekend. No phone, no distractions. Just you. 

Warm Up

Grab a pen and paper and find a quiet spot.

Strength

Unplug and meditate or enjoy quiet for 10-15 minutes. 

Workout

Grab the pen and paper and write:

TOP 3 GOALS IN 0:30
​1, 2, 3.. go! Write them down, whatever comes to mind. Don't overthink it by paying mind to your current circumstance, just simply write what you want based on possibility. 

10 GOALS IN 12 MONTHS
​Alright now let's narrow your focus a bit. You can go off the first three things you wrote down to do this, or change directions, it's up to you. 

Think a little more ​realistically now, what can and will you accomplish in the next 12 months? Don't think about the logistics of it all, just fast forward to this day next year, what did you accomplish? 

​Write these goals as if they have already happened. Examples:

1. My business will have a positive net gain of $10,000/month.
2. I have built my professional network by 10 people.
3. My relationship with my spouse is stronger that it ever has been.
4. I am actively saving enough money to own a home.
5. I have cut down drinking to only 2 drinks per week.

​PICK 1
On your list, which of these goals resonates the strongest with you? Circle it and now write it on separate piece of paper. What does it tell you about your values? To give you another example, I will share with you my top goal:

My life is lived every day fully and passionately.

Writing that made me realize that I value life well-lived and giving/sharing love generously. Now am I always on point with that? Absolutely not, that's why it's a goal​. 

But, I do realize now that is the highest on my priority list and now by sharing this with you (it is slightly selfish I will admit) I am truly projecting that into the universe so that I may live every day to meet this goal. 

​Further, I know what you're thinking ("Well, that's not very specific, in fact; it's pretty darn broad if you ask me") and you're right! So proceed to the next step. 
​
TAKE YOUR #1 GOAL & WRITE 20 WAYS YOU WILL ACCOMPLISH IT
If you were realistic and honest with yourself before this, this step shouldn't be too terribly difficult. Start pouring on to the paper what comes to mind.

I'll let you in to my personal space now and give an example of how I did this: I broke my list into fourths based on the four things I want to love in order to live every day fully and passionately. 

• Love myself
  • Spend time every day exercising my mind and body (listen to podcasts, read, and workout)
• Love my work
  • Build deep, meaningful relationships with the people I work with
• Love my family/friends
  • Make a better effort to call home and my sister at least 1x/week
• Have an open heart, mind, and lines of communication 

​NOW ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS

1. How much time (realistically) will you have to commit per day to achieve these goals
2. Will you need the help of others to achieve them? Think in terms of accountability, motivation, or the work/resources to accomplish the goal itself. 
3. What can you do to take action on your #1 goal today? Tomorrow?

Now that you've written the goal, obsess about it. Take responsibility for what you can do to work towards accomplishing it every day. 

Put it somewhere you can see it. 

This goal will not only give you structure and direction with your life, but it will help you identify where you are in life currently and where you'd like to be. 

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