2011 Goal: Risking Failure to Succeed

If you missed my 2010 recap, be sure to check it out! It was one hell of a year!

Sort of restating from last year, I don’t believe in the common New Year’s “Resolution.” I don’t believe in setting unattainable goals for myself.

However, I DO believe in setting realistic goals and having a plan to achieve them. I think it is important to sit down at least once in a while and reflect how we can improve in our daily lives. If we believe that we don’t need to change anything about ourselves (mentally), we are stagnant, and we mentally grow old. There is always room for improvement.

I want to be constantly improving, constantly learning, constantly changing for the better all while acknowledging how far I have come in the process.

Let’s see how I did with my goals set from last year. I set out wanting to improve these aspects of my training in triathlon:

• my consistency with my workouts in general– My consistency was much better than 2009.

• following through with my speed workouts– Speed workouts were much more abundant this past year. How did this combined with increased consistency affect my race times? It totally cut them down. It is amazing what consistency and speed workouts will do for competing! This was most obvious with my triathlons this past year especially with the runs. I was seriously flying (at least for me) in my races.

• incorporate strength training that I actually want to follow into my workout schedule– this didn’t happen really until the end of the year until I found TRX.

This year, I want to keep all of those (consistency, speed workouts, and strength training) in my training regime, but mainly I want to focus on not being afraid of failing. The sky is the limit for me to succeed this year if I don’t let my mind get the best of me. I make it no secret that I suffer from pre-race anxiety. It is far more than pre-race jitters.

• I have to take a sleeping pill the night before races so I can actually sleep.
• I’m still nervous before I show up to masters swim classes.
• I get anxiety before speed workout days.
• I doubt my abilities, and continue to prove my demons wrong when tested.

Obviously, I have proven myself wrong many times. I AM capable. I AM strong. I AM me.

This will be the year of taking chances. And quite honestly, I’m sick of being so nervous and stressing myself out before I do anything “hard” in my training plan. I’m so afraid of failing, and for what? Nothing. Life is too short. This is supposed to be fun, right? And the funny is…I’m fine, once I start doing whatever I was nervous/anxious for. I’m fine once I get in the water for a race or begin a “hard” workout. It is the time up to that point that gets me.

Not anymore. I’m going to let myself get in the way of my potential. haha. Sort of confusing isn’t it? We can all be our worst enemy or our best friend. This year, I will be my own best friend.

• No more negative talk. The next time I hear, “You can’t do this” in my head, I’m going to tell that voice to shut the hell up and replace that negative talk with something positive!
• I’m going to stop putting so much emphasis on being perfect. All I can do is give it my all, and learn from my mistakes. That is ALL.
• I’m going to stop stressing over things I can’t control. The only variable (sorry, total “geek” term) in life that I CAN control is me.

Only when I can get over this fear of failure, I will truly succeed.

I will need all this positive thinking to get me through my first Ironman in Arizona next November. And you know what? I KNOW I can handle it. I KNOW I am CAPABLE. I KNOW I am STRONG enough for the challenge.

At least Kai thinks so…;) Sorry, I had to break the seriousness for the moment!

By the way, these are all pictures of our walk earlier. Well, it was a run, but it was more like a walk compared to normal outings with Kai.

I would also like to announce the winner of my Operation Beautiful book giveaway:

Congrats, Kacy!! Email me at geekturnedathlete@gmail.com with your address, and I will get that out to you asap.

Do you have any goals for 2011? How are you going to achieve them?

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