Why Breaking Down Your Goal is the Key to Achieve

Three years ago, my husband competed in the Oxfam 100-km walk, which is from Jells Park in Wheelers Hill through the Dandenong Ranges and finishes in Warburton. The fastest team completes it by running in approximately 10 hours. The average teams complete it in approximately 28 hours and the slowest teams have 48 hours to complete it.

Ever since my husband competed, I wanted to do it. Every year, the event would come and go and I would wish I had competed, so mid last year, I thought this can go on every year or I can find a team of four and compete. I was over being on the sidelines watching the event and I wanted to be in it. So once I was clear that I was going to compete in the event, my next task was to find three other people for my team.

Believe it or not, it was easy to find a team so now for me it was happening. The next step was then to start training. I already walk 5 days a week for approximately 6 kms, so now I had to increase my distance. The first big walk I did was 12 km. I was a little tired after that walk but okay really. I did a couple of 12 km walks and each time it was easier. Then I increased to 15 km, then 17 km, then a few around the 20 km distance. Then up to 22 to 25 km. I did a lot of those walks. It got easier each time.

I then found my focus started to change to the time I walked. I clearly remember when I first broke a 5-hour walk. That was a real sense of achievement. Then a 6-hour walk. After that, my focus moved back to distances. I walked 37 km one day, then 42 km, and then 48 km.

What surprised me the most was how each time when I improved, it was a small goal of achievement. I felt sensational. Really proud of the effort I had put in. Each achievement was getting me closer to my big goal of 100km.

My next goal is to walk 60 km and that will be over the Easter weekend. I am excited and really looking forward to it. I have complete belief and faith that I will be able to do it and not only able to do it but will be fine when I finish it. I think that has been the part that has surprised me the most is my recovery from these walks. I might be a little tired at the end, but I find the next day, I feel fantastic.

Don’t misunderstand me. The actual event will push me both physically and mentally. Physically because 100 km is a lot more than 60 km so I will have to dig deep. Apparently, it is your feet that can be the reason for pulling out. The highest percentage of people who don’t complete the event do so because of massive blisters on their feet. You can prepare and be super fit, but if you get the big blisters, they can be the part that brings your dream to an end.

The mental element for me will be going without sleep. Teams have the option to sleep or not. My team has decided not to sleep but to keep walking through the night. I enjoy my sleep and I sleep well so a whole night without sleep could really push me.

So on Friday, 19^th April 2013 at 8:30 am, I will be heading off to achieve my big goal of walking 100 km to raise money for charity. I have been training approximately 16 hours a week since January so the commitment has been massive. However, I have really enjoyed it all. I haven’t been as fit for a long time, which is fantastic. What I have found the best is, each week, I have a new goal to achieve, a little bit further to walk, a little bit longer to walk and when I achieve it I feel motivated and inspired. I love that I am inspiring myself.

The other bonus is by participating in this event, I get to make a difference in the lives of others. These are people I have never met, but my small effort will impact on them. They will be given seeds to grow vegetables, they can eat some of the vegetables, then sell some and perhaps have enough money to buy a goat. The goat can give them milk, which if they sell they may be able to buy a cow. The ripple effect goes on and on.

My keys:

• Decided on my goal
• Create small steps to reach my big goal
• With each small step I am more inspired to keep going
• With each achievement I am closer to reaching my big goal

If you would like to donate or sponsor our team it would be much appreciated. You can log onto: https://trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/team/home/13477 any donation over $2.00 is tax deductible.

So please set a goal that seems too big, then break it down into smaller steps and take action! Enjoy the journey.

Productivity and Setting Boundaries

Setting boundaries improves your productivity. It means at times you have to “say no.”

How does saying ‘no’ tie in with being productive? Well to say “yes” to something you are usually saying “no” to something else. We do this all the time. If we answer our emails before we write the marketing report we are saying “yes” to one activity and “no” to another.

There are reasons why we don’t say ‘no’:

• You want to help
• You do not like being rude
• You do not like conflict
• You worry if you say ‘no’ this time they may not ask you again
• Feel you may be offending others

They key is learning the right way to say ‘no’. Once I developed this skill I realised it was not difficult at all and other people are actually very understanding.

Here are some ways to say no:

• “I have a prior commitment”
• “I’m overextended, right now.”
• “I can’t commit to this at the moment due to my other priorities”
• “Sorry, can’t. Let me know how it goes.”
• “I’m tempted, but I’ll have to pass.”
• “I would rather decline than do a mediocre job.”
• “I’d really love to say yes, but I just can’t.”
• “I’m honoured, but this is a busy time, and I won’t be able to fit it in.”
• “You’re so good at that, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding someone to help.”
• “You know I’d never refuse you if I could help it. I am swamped right now.”
• “I can’t do that, but I can suggest a few people who might be able to help you”
• “I’d love to help you with this. Which of my current projects should I delegate to another person in order to take this on?” 

A personal example for me was that I had been on the kindergarten committee, school education board, festival committee and a parish committee. As I had decided that I really wanted to focus on developing my business I chose to clear my schedule of all but one committee when I was approached to join the netball committee. I suspected that I would be approached so I had an answer prepared which helped and I was able to provide the following response – “I really appreciate you asking me to join the netball committee but I have cleared my schedule of all but one committee so I can focus on my business, that is all I feel I am able to contribute to at the moment but I appreciate you asking and perhaps in the future I may be able to assist. “

Action

For the next week be aware of how often you just say “yes” even when you don’t want to do something. Try before you automatically say “yes” to just pause and consider if you have the time or want to do it. If you don’t then say “no” using one of the above possibilities. You will be surprised at how it all turns out okay.

Thank you and I look forward to sharing more tips, strategies and skills to support you to be more organised so that you too can create a better life. Refer to our website for “Saying NO” signs. www.lifestylerefocus.com.au/free-resources

“Be an inspiration to yourself and

you will be an inspiration to others.”

Dust If You Must!

“A house becomes a home when you can write,

“I love you” on the furniture.”

I can’t tell you how many countless hours that I have spent CLEANING!

I used to spend at least 8 hours every weekend

making sure things were just perfect

– “in case someone came over.”

Then I realised one day that no one came over;

they were all out living life and having fun!

Now, when people visit,

I find no need to explain the “condition” of my home.

They are more interested in hearing about the things I’ve been doing

while I was away living life and having fun.

If you haven’t figured this out yet, please heed this advice.

Life is short. Enjoy it.

Dust if you must,

but wouldn’t it be better to paint a picture or write a letter,

bake a cake or plant a seed,

ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must,

but there’s not much time,

with rivers to swim and mountains to climb,

music to hear and books to read,

friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must,

but the world’s out there with the sun in your eyes,

the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow,

a shower of rain.

This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must,

but bear in mind,

old age will come and it’s not kind.

And when you go – and go you must –

you, yourself will make more dust!

It’s not what you gather,

but what you scatter that tells

what kind of life you have lived.

Rose Milligan of Lancaster England

Action:

• Let go of perfect
• Live life, have fun
• What is on your list of adventurous things to do?
• How can you make them happen?
• What do you want to gather in your life?

Thank you and I look forward to sharing more tips, strategies and skills to support you to be more organised so that you too can create a better life.

“Be an inspiration to yourself and

you will be an inspiration to others.”

Are You Organising Your Tasks?

Have you been more proactive in your planning since attending one of my workshop, reading my book or enrolling in my e-course?  I certainly hope so.  Are you now conscious of the benefits of thinking ahead so you’re no longer in an urgent rush, that you can delay a task if something more important comes up because you are thinking of planning no longer as a day by day event but as an overall weekly structure?

Are you organising your tasks so you know what needs to be accomplished and when it needs to be accomplished by?

It’s an incredible freedom isn’t it? 

The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule

but to schedule your priorities.

Stephen Covey

The key is to think about what you need to accomplish this week?  Schedule it over the whole week. Scheduling time for what is most important means these tasks start moving forward to completion.

At either the end or the start of each day, list all the activities and tasks for the day then rate them as either:

                A – Highest Priority tasks

                B – Important

                C – Jobs that need to be done

                D – Lowest Priority tasks

Then rate all the “A” tasks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 … and go about your day by doing all the “A” tasks first.  This will ensure if you have distractions or other urgent tasks that take you away from your schedule you are at the very least getting the most important tasks done.

Action:

So please at either the start of each day or each evening, list all your tasks you want to complete the next day and then rate them as A, B, C or D then ensure you do all your “A” tasks before any other tasks.

See if this makes a difference to your progress. I would love your comments, 

hiccups, advice.

Thank you and I look forward to sharing more tips, strategies and skills to support you to be more organised so that you too can create a better life.

“Be an inspiration to yourself and

you will be an inspiration to others.”