Time to take action

Mere minutes from 2015, so it must be time to lay out the plan for the new year. Well, it's not really a plan for the new year, it's really more of a plan for life without a Big Project taking up all of my time. It's time to focus on the things I've been neglecting in order to pursue the Big One. Fitness and weight loss are on the top of the list. Reading lots of books, writing something, keeping my relationship with my wife moving forward. That's what this year is about.

It's about the process, with hope that results will emerge from being focused on getting things done a certain way. My play it by ear approach hasn't seemed to be too effective. It's time to make plans, plot a strategy, and see if I can finally make some progress towards reaching long held fitness goals (which are by extension relationship goals). I need to stay healthy to reach some of these goals, but even if injury does become and issue, there are things that I can do to keep making progress towards getting into better shape.

Consistent effort yields results. Small steps consistently taken add up to significant gains over the course of a year. Making time to squeeze in sets of push ups, a few ab exercises, a couple of trips to the gym every week. That's what gets things done. There are no short cuts. There's no way to just make it happen. Gains and changes occur over time. It takes awhile, and that's what makes it so frustrating. Motivation and focus need to be maintained for months to really make something happen.

That's why I've focused on meeting weekly goals. Two trips to the gym to lift every week. Cardio four times a week. I'd like that to be mostly running, but if that's not happening, there's the rowing machine and the stationary bike. Ab workouts four times a week. I will set push up and pull up targets too. A certain number of each a week. I will also make a plan for when I will do these exercises. I'm not just going to wait and see when it will happen. I'm going to pick a time and I'm going to make it happen on schedule. It's not the way I like to work, but I don't know what else I can do to make it happen.

I have to make it happen. I can't wait for things to just appear. So I'm not particularly motivated or energetic. It's up to me to make it happen no matter how I'm feeling. Excuses don't get things done. Change requires action. I'm the only one who can take the action that will lead to change. Change will happen, one rep at a time.