Write it down!

"By recording your goals and dreams on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be." -Mark Victor Hansen

There is something very powerful about writing down your goals but also your weaknesses. It sounds so damn simple and sometimes I wonder….do I really need to write it down? I know in my head what I want to accomplish. However, every time I end up writing it down because that is the only way true dreams are achieved, at least for me.

I accomplished a huge PR/goal at the gym the other night. Backsquats have been a weakness for a long time. I have really worked on my form, practiced them when I didn’t want to, and sometimes felt the progress was slow. Everything finally paid off!! Courageous patience.

The other week I was feeling disorganized with my extra training, and that is when I realized I hadn’t updated my weakness/ skills to work on list. Once I did that, I felt much better and things fell back into place.

Jared does the same thing! He has a business list, personal list, and a Crossfit list. We are a family of list makers over here, but we truly believe in it! In fact, we have a meeting every December to plan our finances but also our personal goals and relationship goals for the upcoming year....and, you guessed it...we write. it. DOWN!

Here are why lists (for crossfit) are a beautiful thing for me:

1. If there is a good drill I learn in one of the classes, I won’t forget it and can come back to it another time.

2. It helps me maintain integrity. I hate feeling like I avoided something for too long (even though avoidance is really easy). If a list is staring me in the face, I am going to knock it down. Period.

3. Making progress or getting a PR feels that much better! ( For example, for a while I had to improve my MUs by fixing my elbows so they came through at the same time. I would practice and practice but I just had such a hard time fixing it, even with coaching cues from various coaches. Then while doing JASON one night it clicked. Boy, that felt amazing. And folks…..THAT was on the list.)

4. It helps keep ME worried about ME and no one else. Everyone is always training at the gym doing extra WODs, strength, skills, or mobility outside of class. It is easy to get lost in this or not know what would benefit ME the most…then it becomes easy to give up and just chat away with friends (we’ve all been there!). If I have my handy dandy list, there is something I can go to! If my arms are sore, I can work something with my legs…or just work a skill…or learn some new mobility. I don’t have a lot of extra time because of my teaching job, so I have to be smart in how I spend it. This helps me focus on ME and not worry about what everyone else is doing, which, in turn, makes me a better athlete.

While thinking about my own crossfit list/goals/dreams, I realized I haven’t checked in with my students! At the beginning of the year I had them write down their goals (school, sports, music, all areas) and told them the importance of actually writing them down and also the power of positive self-talk. I stole a bit of this from the Amundson seminar, which I happily told Greg when I saw him at regionals last year. He was excited that I was bringing this stuff to my high schoolers! So, at some point this week I am going to fit this into one of my lesson plans and see where my kids are at, especially since it is midway through the school year. I can’t wait!

Write it down!!!!!