On Defining Success

A friend recently asked this question, "What is success?" This is my response.

Generally, the rate something as a 'success' you have to assume there is a goal you're attempting. Without a goal, there is no success. And success has both long term and short term components (strategy and tactics). Tactics are things you do in the short term that move you toward some strategic/long term benchmark that helps you finally achieve your goal.

For instance, if your goal is to become a teacher, your strategy would be to get the requisite education and licenses that would allow you to teach. Your tactics to make your strategy successful would be to enroll in class, study, and take and pass the appropriate tests. There may be multiple strategic points/tasks you'll need to achieve (school,  passing PRAXIS I and II, being accepted for a position), that may require different tactics.

You can have successes and failures with your tactics, yet still ultimately achieve your goal, just as you can have successes and failures with your tactics and fail at your goal.

The most important part of this discussion though, is related to our goal. WE get to determine what goal we want to achieve. Others can help you select goals, but if a goal is not yours, you can never achieve success. For instance, Mother Teresa died penniless, yet many consider her life successful. By the same token, Charlie Sheen claims he's 'WINNING!', yet many would say he's not successful. There are many examples that can be argued either way, depending on the things we value.

Most importantly, the recognize success, we have to celebrate milestones and accomplishments. If you're trying to be a teacher, celebrate at the end of the school year, or when you pass the big test!

So, to recap, to BE successful or achieve success,

1) Have a goal that YOU select.
2) Have a strategy that helps you move toward your goal.
3) Have short term, tactical actions that help you accomplish your strategic goals.
4) Finally, allow yourself to recognize and celebrate your accomplishments

I Think I've Broken All the Rules

I was recently reading an article about "Ways to be Obnoxious While Exercising" and I think I've broken every single one of the rules at one time or other.

Let's review, shall we?

1) Wearing Spandex - Spandex is almost a requirement when riding a bike. =D

2) Make Your Workout a Competition - I think this is the definition of Crossfit. I mean, I keep looking at my times and comparing them with everyone else. That's kind of the definition of competition, isn't it?

3) Be the person who sweats everywhere -This is just ridiculous. This is like saying, "Don't exercise so hard that you sweat." Well, if I want improvement, don't I have to work out hard?

4) Wear Shorts When It's 20 Below -  No matter how cold it is outside, when you exercise, you want to wear less clothing. I may not have worn shorts at 20 below, but I have exercised in just a t-shirt in 20 degree weather.

5) Doing laps when kids are playing in the pool - I've had this experience. I even made sure to do laps in the lap lanes, instead of the open swim area. However, kids seemed to find their way into my lanes anyways. = /

6) Ride your bike in the middle of the street - Where else are you going to ride, the sidewalks? I don't think so. I will admit, I usually ride close to the white line. However, bicycles are not causing traffic, they ARE traffic.

7) Grunting - I pretty much fail at not grunting. I mean, when I do my Olympic lifts I grunt on almost every repetition.

Cuong Nhu Testing

I went to test for my second Green Stripe today. It was pretty intense. I've been doing Coung Nhu for almost a year and I feel like I'm learning and growing a lot. I still need to work on the philosophy portion of the art. After all, martial arts without philosophy is just sport.

After yesterday's lifting and today's test, I'm pretty worn out. I know I'll sleep good tonight. Tomorrow will probably be an easy day. I'll prepare for Monday's class and do some skill work. Double Unders sound just about right.