Goals and Deadlines
Running is something I really enjoy. Back in high school, I ran cross country and I enjoyed hanging out with a group who liked endurance activities. For 10 years I ran as part of my training for rowing. Knowing that others were training on their own sparked my competitive spirit so I knew I had to run in order to keep up. More recently, I participated in a couple of half marathons. I was never in a competitive position but I thoroughly enjoyed the routine of the training runs and seeing my improvements. And yet, I yet haven’t gone out for a run on my own volition in almost a year.
I also enjoy blogging. It started as a requirement for part of an online course, DS106. Like with running, I enjoyed the camaraderie of a community improving their skills together. I continued to blog on my own a bit but found it challenging to not have a goal or deadline and far too many far-reaching interests. I liked that Cohort21 spurred me to get back at it last year but I haven’t blogged since Season 5 ended!
Somehow, “Just Do It” wasn’t enough. I have SO Many interests – it’s hard to make time to repeatedly focus on any one thing…
Communities and deadlines are good for me. That was part of the power of Cohort21 last year – it repeatedly forced me to focus on my Action Plan and associated issues. I’m looking forward to meeting all the new participants and getting back into a bit of a writing regimen. Watch this space!
Now, I need to sign up for a run in the spring to focus on that too… Anyone else in need of a goal and repeated check ins? Want to join me?
Behind the Scenes – aka. the teacher in me:
- Took photo of my running shoes and laptop with my phone
- Used Enlight app to create “sketch” effect
- Airdropped the photo to my laptop
- Uploaded the photo to flickr
- Used Embed code from flickr to link photo to blog (and, hopefully, improve load time)
@ljensen Glad to see there are a few former rowers in this group! Like you, I always find it so much easier to run when I have a team around me or at least someone holding me accountable. I could use a blogging check-in buddy! Let’s do it.
I feel exactly the same! Communities and Deadlines are good for me, too. Duke Ellington said, “I don’t need more time. What I need is a deadline.”
Lara, we missed you at the F2F – most significantly for this type of levity and transparency! thanks for sharing this, and to @adamcaplan for great quotation from too! Having just completed (in July) a Half-Ironman, I am learning to ‘give myself a break’ from deadlines and goals. Right now I am experimenting with focusing on things that will nourish me and replenish me to get ready for – you guessed it – deadlines and goals! Fall is in many ways a sense of renewal for me, of rejuvenation.
See you soon,
garth.
Yes! after my year at Cohort21 I felt energized by the experience and vowed to keep going with all of the thinking, reflecting, and trying. Then other deadlines came ahead of all of my best intentions. It is so easy to let things for others come before actions that are personally beneficial. I too need the deadlines, the pressure of knowing that soon there will be a coming together that will be the impetus to share and wanting to have something to contribute is motivating. It is far too easy when isolated outside of such an experience to stop.
Thanks for sharing,
Melissa