Tag: Challenge

Don’t Do It

Don’t go to the gym.

Had a great hour and a half with our son yesterday after school.  We had ice cream, played catch, rode our bikes and blogged.

Could have gone to the gym, but chose differently instead. Ultimately, a balance is required.  Working out is challenging. Finding time and energy is hard.  Finding excuses is easy.

Having very high health goals makes finding motivation easier.  But it is still a challenge to figure out how to achieve those goals.

Because it is so challenging, most people are tempted to give up on their big health goals.  Don’t do it.

Lane 8 WMA World Championships

Click here to go to the WMA Masters Athletics Track & Field 2010 Indoor World Championships in Kaamloops, British Columbia.

Most likely, I’ll be the only one clicking on the link.  Why?  Because there are not too many people smart enough over 40 years old (any age really), who focus on their wellness as much as I’m motivated to do.

Why?  Well, um, well, I really don’t know.  Probably has something to do with an unresolved emotional issue or a predisposition to over-achieve.  Everyone has unique quirks.  Staying healthy is one of mine.

Stay Focused – Lane 8

Lane 8, you need to stay focused. You have to. You need to.  This is the arguement that goes on, constantly, in my head.

Lane 8, you have to.  No, Lane 8, you need to. It’s like this vicious circle that can’t be broken.

You know what would be the easy thing to do?  Just drop it.  Just walk away. Simply move on to some other thing that would be infinitely easier, way more fun, and probably take less time too.

The reality?  There is not quitting.  Ever.  Period.  End of story.  Get a grip. The list of phrases that speak to me is endless.

Just last Thursday I was reminded of exactly why I can never quit. A high cholesterol report.

Got Ideas?

Got ideas?  Yes indeed.  The challenge is ideas aren’t worth the paper they’re written on if you can’t make them work.  This is true in our business life and our personal life.

People constantly come up with ideas to run the government better. Or ideas to help their favorite sports team do better. Or ideas their boss ought to use to become a better leader.

But when do we actually use any of these ideas on ourselves?  When do we look at ourselves with the same level of scrutiny as we do others? When?

And when do we ever attempt to take one of our ideas and apply it to ourselves?  When?  Seriously, when?

My advice is simply this.  I don’t give advice unless a person’s situation is life threatening, or, they ask me for advice.

So, when talking to myself – which is everyday, all day – I’m constantly looking for ways to become better.  Lane 8 is only one of five daily blogs I write.  Why?  Because it’s an idea that’s being implemented.

Level Of Fitness @ Lane 8?

Yesterday’s Lane 8 blog post ended with me promising to share today the level of fitness that was unknowingly gained on the journey to become a world class Master’s athlete.

And by the way, the goal was never to become a world class Master’s athlete.  The goal was, and always will be, about getting and staying healthy to contend with the hereditary predisposition to both physical and mental illnesses.  I am, after all, 50 years old.  🙂

Here’s a jeff noel midlife You Tube video which highlights the strength of the body’s core.  And just before heading to Lahti, Finland for the 2009 WMA Master’s Track & Field World Championships, I increased the time from “20-count” (in this clip) to 30-count:

Guarantee you, if you try to put both feet up at a 90-degree angle, you won’t be able to hold it for more than a “2-count”. Don’t believe me? Try it. Carpe diem!