Faster Goal Achievement

I love Steve Pavlina. He has a website named "Personal Development for Smart People". He has about 500,000 visitors to his site each month. I'm lucky if I have 5. LOL I digress. Anyway, what I love about his site, messages and podcasts is that he uses all of the methods that he presents on his site BEFORE he writes about them. Having a personal testimony is always a bonus in my book. He also writes on many different topics and introduces many people to new ideas. It's great.

One of my favorite tools that I got from Steve's site is a "30-day practice". Did you know that it takes about 28 days to make a new habit? Most of us usually are gung-ho during the first week or two and then fizzle out by the end of the third week. Hmm, if we could just stretch it out for a few more days, we might have made it a habit. What I also love about the 30-day practice is that he gives us permission to 'trash' it if it doesn't prove to be something that benefits our lives. How silly of me to think that I, an adult, needed permission to say, "No thanks." to a personal goal? Yes, it's true and I am sure that I am not the only one.

Another topic that he shares is faster goal achievement. He shares that it is easier to achieve a goal if we already identify ourselves as the person who has achieved the goal. He encourages people to brainstorm the 'side effects' of being that person.
What will be different about my life when I reach my goal? Identify the side effects.
Then, he suggests that one starts closing the distance between the side effects and where you are now.

I thought about this. When I am at my healthy weight, my persona is different, my actions are different. I hold my body differently. I exercises daily without it being a chore. I look forward to it. I crave better options. It's who I AM, not what I struggle to do. Hmm...

So, WW has been going great. I have lost almost 7 pounds since re-starting 2.5 weeks ago. I have an official weekly WI, so that's what I use as my weight. I was proud of myself for having a loss even with it being TOM. This week has been a little strange since it has been TOM. I have wanted to eat more throughout the day. Luckily, I have stayed within my points regardless of what I have eaten. That is a great feeling. That's what I love about the WW Flex Program. It allows for the flexibility that I might need during these times of the month.

My training for my half-marathon has being going okay. I am having a hard time doing my 'during-the-week' training, but my long days are no problem at all. I wonder if it has anything to do with having a clear mind and no competing priorities (free from work, commute, etc.) It's also done at my favorite time of day, mid-morning. So, my remedy has been to just do what I want during the week and get my long training in on Sunday. It is my only "MUST". It is so much more enjoyable to me. This weekend, I have a six-mile training session.

Financially, things have not been the best. Thank goodness for having my Mary Kay business otherwise I wonder if I would make it through the month. I definitely am experiencing "more month than money" syndrome. I have scaled back on all the unnecessary things in my life. I don't have satellite and haven't had it in a year. I don't eat out often. I stopped all magazine subscriptions. I just can't seem to get on top of it all. I also don't want to work just to pay bills either. I need to enjoy life too! Ugh! I am trying to figure out how I can increase my income is a smart way, pay down the bills and add to my savings/investments. That is one good thing that I am financially proud of, I do have investments that are doing well. I'll make it. I just needed to vent. I'll have to utilize Steve's faster goal achievement method to change this experience of my life. Now, what are the side effects of being financially free...?