A few weeks ago, I took a trip to Arkansas.
Since I didn’t know the area that well, I decided to do my half marathon training in the hotel gym instead of outside. Like most hotel gyms, they had a large list of disclaimers on the wall, but the last sentence on the sign stuck out to me:
Week 9 of FinishYear is behind us! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)
Every Sunday during February, let’s share a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List.
Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:
1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
The February conference was a blast. Stay tuned for a big announcement about this goal in a few weeks.
2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
Still working my way through Henri Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son
3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
I ran Tuesday and Thursday, but at the time of this posting I have not done my long run yet. My hope is that I’ll knock it out this afternoon (Sunday.)
4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
Great progress this week! I wrote about 10,000 words and am starting to feel good about the outline.
5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
Wrote three this week. Chipping away at this goal.
6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
Wrote three times this week. Still loving this goal.
That’s my week.
How was yours?
What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?
For years, I’ve been carrying around a secret list in my head.
For decades, this list has been banging around in my heart causing all manner of chaos and shenanigans.
For, centuries … well I haven’t been alive for centuries but if I had that would have been a pretty dramatic third sentence.
What list am I talking about?
The “Doesn’t Count List” or DCL.
Week 8 of FinishYear is done! (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)
Every Sunday during February, let’s share a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List.
Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:
1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
This one is finished … for now. Big announcement coming in the next week or two.
2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
Right now I’m reading Henri Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son
3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
I ran Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday morning. I’m in Arkansas right now and had to get up insanely early to get the one treadmill in the hotel gym. I got to the fitness room at 6:45 on Saturday morning and someone was already on it. So on Sunday I was bound and determined to get up early!
4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
Didn’t make a ton of progress on this one this week. I’d mark it up to fear and focus. I’ve got a bit of the “blank page” fear going on right now. I also needed to focus on my speech for Blissdom and the three speeches I gave in Arkansas over the weekend. It looks like March might be “book writing month.”
5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
I wrote three cards this week, which I feel pretty good about.
6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
I wrote 4 times this week, and am currently in chapter 17 of Proverbs.
That’s my week.
How was yours?
What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?
The first time I was on national television, there were two things that terrified me:
1. Putting on my own makeup.
2. Making a mistake in front of a million people.
The first fear is pretty obvious: I have no idea how to put on makeup. I bought some MAC at the counter at a department store. I then stared in complete confusion in the blush aisle at Target trying to imagine if my cheekbones would best be described as “Desert Sunset,” until someone helped me.
The night before I went on Fox & Friends in New York City, I envisioned me showing up with a David Bowie Ziggy Stardust-type sheen on my face. My friends would all see the clip and ask me, “Did someone punch you in the face repeatedly right before you went on the air?”
A friend of mine once taught me a brilliant trick for brainstorming.
She runs a team that puts on elaborate theater performances. And each season, she gathers them together to plan the next year’s shows. But do you know who she doesn’t invite to these brainstorming sessions?
The people who build the sets.
Why?
Week 7 of FinishYear is over and it was easily the worst week I’ve had thus far concerning progress. (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)
Every Sunday during February, let’s share a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List.
Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:
1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
This one is done and from the early reports we’re getting, people had a great time. I might have a fun announcement about the Quitter Conference in the next few weeks.
2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
Right now I’m reading Henri Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son
3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
Missed my long run this week. We’re in Blowing Rock, North Carolina and I didn’t plan very well to accomplish my long run on Saturday.
4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
This one is fun to talk about, but hard to do. I keep trying to write the perfect first sentence to the book and that’s become a bit of a mental roadblock. This week I finally jumped in and just started to throw down some words, regardless of the quality.
5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
I actually destroyed this goal this week. I sent 6 thank you cards out, which might be a new weekly record.
6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
I wrote 3 times this week.
That’s my week.
How was yours?
What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?
If January is the month of setting resolutions, than February is the month where they go to die.
Gyms get empty in February. Classes get dropped in February. Unused hiking equipment gets returned to the store in February.
And the strange thing is, I’m OK with that. I don’t care if you drop a resolution, as long as it’s on purpose. Actually, I’d encourage you to murder a few of your resolutions this month.
Why?
Because goals you don’t really intend to meet become anchors.
I know how long it will take for your dream to come true.
Regardless of what sort of dream you are chasing.
Whether you want to write a book, start a business, fall in love, travel the world, or get your Master’s Degree.
Want to know how long it’s going to take for your dream to come true?
And just like that, 6 weeks of FinishYear are behind us. (It’s not too late to join FinishYear with us! Here’s what we’re doing.)
Every Sunday during February, let’s share a quick summary of how we did that week on our Finish List.
Here’s my list of goals, and the summary of the progress I made:
1. Make the Quitter Conference awesome for people who attend.
The conference was this weekend and it was a blast! I’ll have to wait on attendee surveys to see if folks felt like it was awesome, but I honestly feel like I did everything I could to make it as awesome as possible. This goal is officially done!
2. I am going to finish reading 12 non-fiction books this year. One per month.
I started my new book this week. I’ve read two so far, which puts me a little ahead of schedule. The next book I am reading is Henri Nouwen’s The Return of the Prodigal Son
3. I am going to finish running the Nashville half marathon Saturday, April 28th in under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
I ran three times this week. Today, I had to do 9 miles, which was the longest I’ve gone so far in this training cycle. I’m still on track for this goal.
4. I am going to finish writing a new book in 2012.
This one is suddenly looming. I told myself I’d start it after the conference was over. Guess what? The conference is over. It’s go time on this goal.
5. I am going to finish a box of thank you cards this year as a sign of my gratefulness.
I actually destroyed this goal this week. I sent 6 thank you cards out, which might be a new weekly record.
6. I am going to finish handwriting out the entire book of Proverbs in a moleskine notebook.
I wrote 4 times this week, which is better than the 3 I posted last week.
That’s my week.
How was yours?
What on your Finish List went well? What on your Finish List needs more attention next week?