Changing and Modifying Goals

In times past, I used to get very upset with myself if I had to ever modify the completion date of a goal. I completed Marine Corps Recruit Training, almost the entire time having strep throat and pneumonia. The medical personnel would not let me in the pool for swim qualification the first day, so I had to sneak my way past them in order to qualify as a competent swimmer; this being required for me to graduate BT Camp on time. Throughout the rest of my 8.5 year career in the Marine Corps, I would kill myself to make goals happen [not kill myself literally, just work through or force the round peg into the square hole]. In part because of this, I had to leave the Marines earlier than I wanted to because the stress and health problems caught up with me.

Now that I am older, I choose to work smarter, not harder and part of that is because I am now more open to changing and/or modifying my goals. Having the ability to change your goals may depend greatly on if you complete that goal, or not. Do you remember the SMART goals? Just for a refresher, SMART goals are:

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Relevant
T = Time-bound

What if you're working towards a goal and you realize it is unattainable? Of course you will have to modify that goal to make it attainable [such as you run into a law stating it is not legal to proceed as you had planned with a business, etc].

A goal can also cease to be relevant because you change your mind about your career, such as you had planned on getting your paralegal certification, but instead you change your mind and want to become a chef.  Those listed above are only a couple of examples, but you see my point.

What is a goal you are struggling with right now that might need to be modified? If you cannot afford a life coach, grab a coffee with a friend who cares about your goals and talk it out. The more you talk about your goals or write details about it in planning, the more likely you are to completing it.

Recently, I've had to roll back the time frame in which I will complete my Master's degree in Business Administration because the full time course load was getting to be too much for me. It will get done, but it will take about six months longer than I had expected it to, unfortunately. Ultimately, this will help the quality of my work and I will get more out of the education I am receiving, but it was still a little bit of a let-down.

If you struggle for too long trying to accomplish a goal; do yourself a favor and modify it. Not doing so will add undue stress to your life, but a modified goal is like getting your second wind in a race; you start doubting if you can maintain your pace until the end, but then you get that extra boost of a second wind and you power through even faster. If you are currently struggling with a goal, please do yourself a favor and give yourself that second wind.

I Pulled an MBA All-Nighter!

10/17/13

I am done with my stupid mini-flu. Boy, that really took a lot out of me; made me weak as a kitten and brought me low. I went from Powerful McPowerfulson to zero energy, zero stamina. When you or I or anyone is sick, it's easy to get down mentally as well as physically and I have to be honest in saying that I did get down psychologically. I did realize, however, it would pass and when I recovered, I would have to rebuild to the level of power and stamina that I held for most of the summer.

During my business financial management class from mid-October to mid-November, I routinely pulled all-nighters on assignments because late at night and in the wee hours of the morning was the only time I could get into deep, focus, concentration mode which I would need to figure out complex financial formulas and have an understanding of how aspects of finance functioned.

All-nighters are not fun, but sometimes they are necessary to get the job done. I am highly motivated in regards to getting my Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) because it is going to be a big step in my career and my ticket to an even better life. What if I mess up in a class and fail or get a crumby grade? I can always retake a class if I need to. It IS a setback, but not the end of the world. Life isn't perfect and most people don't always get the grades they want. So many people seem to have an all or nothing mentality; but much of life doesn't work like that. Sometimes you have to keep chipping at a project with, at times, imperfect progress.

Please, readers: do not give up when you encounter great adversity, but on the other side of that coin, do not persist when your efforts are evidently futile. You may need to find a different way in doing something. If you know that you are intended to do a certain thing, yet you are sailing towards a storm on your way to do it; then sail right through the storm and accomplish that thing you are bound, set and intended to do. Be indomitable. When you are hit hard by the storms and trials of life and don't take the easy way out, you will come out the better for it. Your character will be built stronger for it.

And when you find that sweet, sweet solace when all is at peace, there is nothing important to do and you can relax; take the opportunity to rest on your laurels just briefly before going on to slay the next giant. If you stay lying on one spot for too long, you create an indentation or rut, rather and it make get you stuck in life. That is why I tell you to not rest on your laurels for too long. Keep learning, keep being driven, find new territory to conquer, but stop once in a while to rest.

Thank you all for reading my blog article today and I pray it inspires or helps you somehow. I hope you find peace and wisdom this Christmas season; remember, God owns peace and wisdom and He will give freely to those who truly seek him.

Any Questions?

How Do You Explain Personal Drive?

I'm sure we all know that one person who seems ridiculously tenacious and has an extraordinary amount of motivation? These people often refuse to accept defeat and keep trying until their energy is totally spent or they prevail. When they succeed, people usually agree that this person very much deserves the success due to their hard work and determination. How do you explain the drive that propel these people towards their goals?

I think it has a lot to do with the way these driven people see themselves and how they believe others see them. It also may have something to do with the way they were raised. Out of these factors, I believe the way driven people see themselves is the most powerful in learning about what makes them tick.



If a person sees themselves as capable, powerful, intelligent, stalwart and steadfast then it follows they will be more driven. Often these people adopt the trait of being a hard worker and go-getter into their personal identity and it does something to them that leaves observers looking on in admiration: a driven person who does not give up without a fight.

On the other end of the spectrum, people who see themselves as unable, weak, lacking and easily overwhelmed will tend to give up without giving it much of a try. These are the people who walk during a time when they should run and their faces aren't even red. They felt a little burn and windedness so they gave up and started walking. They don't like to feel 'uncomfortable.'

These same 'weak' people don't adapt to change well, either, while the driven and more motivated people are more open and ready for change. I would like to draw upon the wisdom of Drs. Tim Clinton and George Ohlschlager and point out that change in and of itself should not be the goal because human beings are fallible and can direct change towards evil or ineffectual ends. However, change in life is inevitable and being a driven person who adapts well to change is preferable to being someone who goes through change painfully and pitifully.

Being driven and motivated enables a person to be ready and more available for effective, positive change that will carry them higher. At this point, I want to ask you a couple of questions:

1. Who do you see yourself as?

2. When you look in the mirror, do you see a determined winner looking back or a deflated wiener

 

3. Who do you want to be?

Be honest when you take an inventory of yourself, but stay positive and remember that you can always change negative traits to positive ones. One saying I always keep in mind when I contemplate self improvement is:

"The difference between try and triumph is just a little 'umph'."

I want to encourage you to see yourself as someone who can succeed and one who has an indomitable personal drive. This is one of the only instances where the expression "Seeing is believing" definitely applies. Don't give yourself the option of failure. See yourself succeeding.


 Don't push it too far to where it becomes stubbornness where you're running into a brick wall repeatedly. Remember that brick wall in I Can and I Will? Improvise and adapt in ever-changing circumstances. If one route doesn't work, don't get fixated on that route that doesn't work, find the one that does work. Let the attempts that don't work roll off you like water off a duck's back.

If you find undesirable traits in your self-inventory, change them. Don't make excuses. Weak people are full of excuses as to why they can't. Driven people tell their success stories and help others to succeed. I ask again, who do you want to be?

Accomplish More With To Do Lists

A comical look at what a bully's checklist might look like

I have found I accomplish more when I have a to do list. I think it turns chores or tasks into a challenge for me. The list is like "You can't get all this stuff done" and I say back "Wanna bet?" I also tend to be a little absent-minded, so a to do list keeps me on track to accomplish what I set out to do. My wife knows that if she wants me to do a bunch of stuff, she'll have to make a to do list for the maximum probability of success. I enjoy getting a task done and putting a big 'ole check in the box. It makes me feel like I accomplished something; especially when all the boxes are checked.

With a to do list, you will be more likely to get things done that you need to accomplish during your day. It sets you in a position to be proactive rather than reactive. Instead of handling tasks as they come up, you can have a plan of prioritized tasks to get done so at the end of the day, you feel like you've actually achieved something instead of rushing around putting out fires.

I actually prefer a to do list over a schedule, because I make the lists in such a way that they're time-bound only through the end of the day. A schedule is more restrictive, although it has the potential to save more time. To do lists are fairly flexible.

You can make to do lists to accomplish just about anything. It's fun if you save to do lists for a few years and look back at what you've accomplished. This especially rings true for exercise to do lists; you can look back to see how far you've come, or, in the case of regression, see what you used to be able to do and resolve to get there again.

Make the to do list before you start exercising so you don't smear the ink as much with your sweat.

To do lists are good for work, home or even while on vacation. You can make a list of tasks you need to complete at work for the day to stay ahead in your career. To do lists help people to get chores around the house done that would otherwise sit around for months on end. Many times my wife creates my home to do list which then turns into a 'honey do list' (not to be confused with the melons). You can make sure you see all the sites and attractions you intend to while on vacation as well as make sure you do all your favorite activities during your extended time off.

How much more can you get done with a to do list? When have you used a to do list that worked exceptionally well?  Please leave your comments in the section below. Have a productive day!

I Found an Old Video of Me in Iraq

I was doing some research online to make sure my blog is good to go in the area of Search Engine Optimization and I came across a video of myself in Iraq in 2006 giving a shout out to people back home. Check out a much younger me: Corporal James Majors, Iraq 2006

This deployment was probably my most successful deployment. It was when I was first awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, got promoted to Sergeant, became a collateral duty inspector and established myself as a leader in  my unit.

On this trip, I got to take a short R&R trip to Qatar where I got to ride a jet ski (Wave Runner) in the Persian Gulf. 


This deployment was a culmination of hard work and waiting for my time to shine, coming to fruition,
When have you experienced the positive fruits of your labor?

How to Create Goals that are S.M.A.R.T.

How can you get to where you want to go if you paddle in circles? Trying to succeed in your endeavors without setting S.M.A.R.T. goals is a lot like paddling in circles.

Have you ever tried throwing yourself into a task only to find out that you have no idea of where you want to go and how you want to finish once you're right in the thick of it? Chances are, you neglected to cast a vision, to set proper goals, and decide what success will look like when you get there. The need to set proper goals is of the utmost importance if you want to be in a much better place six months from now than where you are now.
Just setting goals, however, is not good enough. If you set vague goals, they're not going to help you much because it's hard to measure vague goals or define the time limit on them. Goals must be S.M.A.R.T.:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-bound

In regards to both specificity and measurability, the example of weight loss can be shown in the illustration of their collective value. It seems a little pointless to set a serious goal such as 'I want to lose weight.' A specific and measurable goal would be more like 'I would like to lose 20 lbs. 
Now, let's add the aspect of attainability: would you be able to realistically lose 20 lbs? There are ways to make goals attainable...such as changing the time frame of the goal or getting a treatment for your thyroid gland which will make it more realistic to lose weight in a timely manner, etc. A goal does no good if you cannot attain it within a reasonable amount of time.

Lay the groundwork and create foundational goals to propel you forward

Next, a goal must be relevant in order to benefit a person. You would think it would seem obvious, but you would be surprised. If a person is already underweight, it probably would not be a good idea to lose 20 lbs. In fact, if that is the case, a counselor that specializes in eating disorders may be needed in that instance. 
Finally, effective goals must be time-bound. If they are not, the procrastination monster will keep you from your goal indefinitely. Adding the component of time-binding, a good weight loss goal will look something like this: 'I would like to lose 20 lbs in two months by increasing my level of activity and decreasing my caloric intake, due to the fact that my doctor told me I should lose that amount of weight in order to live a more heart healthy lifestyle." This sentence encompasses a goal that is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. If your goals do not meet these criteria, you will likely not accomplish much. 
If you do not make your goals specific, you will not know when you have accomplished them. If goals are not measurable, you will not be able to determine what you have accomplished when you reach your goal. Goals that are not attainable will only lead to disappointment and burnout. Goals that are not relevant will not get you to where you want to be and will lead to 'spinning your wheels.' If goals are not time-bound, it gives a person license to put off accomplishing them indefinitely. 
Any good goal should meet all of the criteria above. If you have a goal that does not meet the SMART criteria, consider making your goal SMART so you will actually get somewhere. I hope at least one of you benefits from this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope you didn't find my switch from 2nd to 3rd person pronouns distracting, but engaging :-) Give me feedback.