01/01/2020
I’ve always struggled with discipline. For every action oriented cell in my body, there is an equally stubborn lazy cell. In those periods of my life where action has carried the day, I’ve had my greatest accomplishments. When my discipline falters, the opposite is true. Great ideas exist in my head like caged animals at the zoo, never realizing their full potential. One of the many gifts the military offered was tangible goals and milestones. Whether it was an annual fitness test or a promotion board coming up, the goals and milestones required to succeed were clear. It’s taken me longer to get my footing in my new situation. But what was true then remains the same: discipline is the key. As creative endeavors and volunteering have taken on greater meaning for me, I realized that I hadn’t written down my goals and did the planning required to get where I want to be. The same is true of fitness. Without a set date for evaluation I’ve drifted from what was a tenuous perch “near” good weight and health habits. Honestly, I’ve never had good food discipline — it was just masked by consistent running. So let me encourage you not to just make resolutions, but set goals and come up with a plan to to achieve them. It’s something I used to coach folks on but somehow forgot to do for myself when I left the military. Time to get back to it. I’m a happier and more productive person when I do. For me, discipline translates to achievement and fulfillment. And if you fail to meet some of those new goals, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get after it again next year. You only lose when you quit trying. Wishing you a great 2020!
