2010 Goal Failure or Success

2010 Goal Failure or Success This is the time of year we think about setting goals some do it with great enthusiasm and others think its a bunch of garbage because dedication to goals dont last past January. (check out Thom Singers post on goals and action items) Two years ago I ripped my calf.  It was pretty bad and I was laid-up, on a couch and with crutches, for SIX painful weeks.  It was really bad. Last year, about this time, I decided I would walk 500 miles in 2010. It was a damn-the-torpedos goal I hadnt worked out much since I got laid off and it was taking a toll on my health and how I felt. I started on January 2nd, 2010, walking 3.2 miles.  In Utahs freezing cold I sludged through the snow, walked on ice and made this a top priority. Most days I walked 3.2 miles, some days I added a bit more, and some days I got up to about 7 miles. It took time but I really needed to make this happen.  And I really wanted to hit my 500 mile goal. By Spring I felt great and saw some unexpected results.  It was awesome and I was easily on the way to hit my goal. I started to dream about hitting 600 miles, and sometimes thought about picking up the pace and hitting 1,000 miles in a year. And then, sometime during the summer I had some pain in the calf that I had ripped.  I took some time off. A while later I felt sick and took more time off. In October I finished my first week of walking every day, Monday through Saturday, 4 miles each day (24 miles in a week).  Again, I was on track. I got back from my walk that Saturday morning and, well, long story short, missed the last step on my basement stairs and twisted my ankle. For the first time I had doubt about hitting my 500 miles. Here we are on December 31st and, well, honestly, I can hit my goal. IF I WALK 150 MILES TODAY. That isnt going to happen. So I failed. Or did I? In 2009 I walked probably 10 miles the whole year. In 2010 I walked about 350 miles. Is that a failure? I feel like it is a failure. On the other hand, I walked 350 miles!  It was awesome!   I did 35 times more than I did last year. Im in better shape than I have been in for a while.  I did something for myself (and not just my business) it was empowering! Was it a failure? I didnt hit my goal of 500, so technically I failed.  But I feel it was a success because I did a lot more than I would have done. I set my sights on the moon, missed, but still hit a few stars. So, do you set goals or not?  Is it a waste of time if you work towards it, make good progress, get value, grow, but miss the goal? (the answer probably depends on your personality :p) My new goal for 2011: Walk 500 miles.  Starting January 3rd. Whats your goal? 2010 Goal Failure or Success This is the time of year we think about setting goals some do it with great enthusiasm and others think its a bunch of garbage because dedication to goals dont last past January. (check out Thom Singers post on goals and action items) Two years ago I ripped my calf.  It was pretty bad and I was laid-up, on a couch and with crutches, for SIX painful weeks.  It was really bad. Last year, about this time, I decided I would walk 500 miles in 2010. It was a damn-the-torpedos goal I hadnt worked out much since I got laid off and it was taking a toll on my health and how I felt. I started on January 2nd, 2010, walking 3.2 miles.  In Utahs freezing cold I sludged through the snow, walked on ice and made this a top priority. Most days I walked 3.2 miles, some days I added a bit more, and some days I got up to about 7 miles. It took time but I really needed to make this happen.  And I really wanted to hit my 500 mile goal. By Spring I felt great and saw some unexpected results.  It was awesome and I was easily on the way to hit my goal. I started to dream about hitting 600 miles, and sometimes thought about picking up the pace and hitting 1,000 miles in a year. And then, sometime during the summer I had some pain in the calf that I had ripped.  I took some time off. A while later I felt sick and took more time off. In October I finished my first week of walking every day, Monday through Saturday, 4 miles each day (24 miles in a week).  Again, I was on track. I got back from my walk that Saturday morning and, well, long story short, missed the last step on my basement stairs and twisted my ankle. For the first time I had doubt about hitting my 500 miles. Here we are on December 31st and, well, honestly, I can hit my goal. IF I WALK 150 MILES TODAY. That isnt going to happen. So I failed. Or did I? In 2009 I walked probably 10 miles the whole year. In 2010 I walked about 350 miles. Is that a failure? I feel like it is a failure. On the other hand, I walked 350 miles!  It was awesome!   I did 35 times more than I did last year. Im in better shape than I have been in for a while.  I did something for myself (and not just my business) it was empowering! Was it a failure? I didnt hit my goal of 500, so technically I failed.  But I feel it was a success because I did a lot more than I would have done. I set my sights on the moon, missed, but still hit a few stars. So, do you set goals or not?  Is it a waste of time if you work towards it, make good progress, get value, grow, but miss the goal? (the answer probably depends on your personality :p) My new goal for 2011: Walk 500 miles.  Starting January 3rd. Whats your goal? 2010 Goal Failure or Success This is the time of year we think about setting goals some do it with great enthusiasm and others think its a bunch of garbage because dedication to goals dont last past January. (check out Thom Singers post on goals and action items) Two years ago I ripped my calf.  It was pretty bad and I was laid-up, on a couch and with crutches, for SIX painful weeks.  It was really bad. Last year, about this time, I decided I would walk 500 miles in 2010. It was a damn-the-torpedos goal I hadnt worked out much since I got laid off and it was taking a toll on my health and how I felt. I started on January 2nd, 2010, walking 3.2 miles.  In Utahs freezing cold I sludged through the snow, walked on ice and made this a top priority. Most days I walked 3.2 miles, some days I added a bit more, and some days I got up to about 7 miles. It took time but I really needed to make this happen.  And I really wanted to hit my 500 mile goal. By Spring I felt great and saw some unexpected results.  It was awesome and I was easily on the way to hit my goal. I started to dream about hitting 600 miles, and sometimes thought about picking up the pace and hitting 1,000 miles in a year. And then, sometime during the summer I had some pain in the calf that I had ripped.  I took some time off. A while later I felt sick and took more time off. In October I finished my first week of walking every day, Monday through Saturday, 4 miles each day (24 miles in a week).  Again, I was on track. I got back from my walk that Saturday morning and, well, long story short, missed the last step on my basement stairs and twisted my ankle. For the first time I had doubt about hitting my 500 miles. Here we are on December 31st and, well, honestly, I can hit my goal. IF I WALK 150 MILES TODAY. That isnt going to happen. So I failed. Or did I? In 2009 I walked probably 10 miles the whole year. In 2010 I walked about 350 miles. Is that a failure? I feel like it is a failure. On the other hand, I walked 350 miles!  It was awesome!   I did 35 times more than I did last year. Im in better shape than I have been in for a while.  I did something for myself (and not just my business) it was empowering! Was it a failure? I didnt hit my goal of 500, so technically I failed.  But I feel it was a success because I did a lot more than I would have done. I set my sights on the moon, missed, but still hit a few stars. So, do you set goals or not?  Is it a waste of time if you work towards it, make good progress, get value, grow, but miss the goal? (the answer probably depends on your personality :p) My new goal for 2011: Walk 500 miles.  Starting January 3rd. Whats your goal? 2010 Goal Failure or Success This is the time of year we think about setting goals some do it with great enthusiasm and others think its a bunch of garbage because dedication to goals dont last past January. (check out Thom Singers post on goals and action items) Two years ago I ripped my calf.  It was pretty bad and I was laid-up, on a couch and with crutches, for SIX painful weeks.  It was really bad. Last year, about this time, I decided I would walk 500 miles in 2010. It was a damn-the-torpedos goal I hadnt worked out much since I got laid off and it was taking a toll on my health and how I felt. I started on January 2nd, 2010, walking 3.2 miles.  In Utahs freezing cold I sludged through the snow, walked on ice and made this a top priority. Most days I walked 3.2 miles, some days I added a bit more, and some days I got up to about 7 miles. It took time but I really needed to make this happen.  And I really wanted to hit my 500 mile goal. By Spring I felt great and saw some unexpected results.  It was awesome and I was easily on the way to hit my goal. I started to dream about hitting 600 miles, and sometimes thought about picking up the pace and hitting 1,000 miles in a year. And then, sometime during the summer I had some pain in the calf that I had ripped.  I took some time off. A while later I felt sick and took more time off. In October I finished my first week of walking every day, Monday through Saturday, 4 miles each day (24 miles in a week).  Again, I was on track. I got back from my walk that Saturday morning and, well, long story short, missed the last step on my basement stairs and twisted my ankle. For the first time I had doubt about hitting my 500 miles. Here we are on December 31st and, well, honestly, I can hit my goal. IF I WALK 150 MILES TODAY. That isnt going to happen. So I failed. Or did I? In 2009 I walked probably 10 miles the whole year. In 2010 I walked about 350 miles. Is that a failure? I feel like it is a failure. On the other hand, I walked 350 miles!  It was awesome!   I did 35 times more than I did last year. Im in better shape than I have been in for a while.  I did something for myself (and not just my business) it was empowering! Was it a failure? I didnt hit my goal of 500, so technically I failed.  But I feel it was a success because I did a lot more than I would have done. I set my sights on the moon, missed, but still hit a few stars. So, do you set goals or not?  Is it a waste of time if you work towards it, make good progress, get value, grow, but miss the goal? (the answer probably depends on your personality :p) My new goal for 2011: Walk 500 miles.  Starting January 3rd. Whats your goal?