Any positive change in anyone’s life starts with an aspiration. Aspirations are the imagining of the place or state of being in which you want to be. They fall into two categories: Hopes and Goals. Hopes are aspirations without structure. They energize us, but we otherwise we have no plans for voluntary action to manifest them. Unless something outside of our influence changes to our benefit, (yeah, good luck with that) they’ll continue to go unrealized. Goals are hopes that we plan to achieve. A goal needs three things: an objective, a deadline, and an action plan. In other words, what do you want to do, when do you want to have it done, and how are you going to do it?
A Mission Statement is a sentence or two that describes the overall aim of an individual or group, and the methods by which they will do so. This statement should not have specifics in it, but should talk about the themes about the author. For example, “to provide quality customer service” is a better mission statement phrase than “to answer claims within 2 days.” The latter is more of a goal, because it has a specific objective, a timeline, and defined actions would be attached to it.
So, how does this work into my weight loss ambitions? Well, first, I never stated my mission statement, nor have I defined my timelines for my goals. So, without any ado whatsoever, here he is, born a stone’s throw from this very arena, the son of Thomas Thatcher, Sir… William… Thatcher? er, crap, I was quoting A Knight’s Tale again, wasn’t I?
My Personal Mission Statement
It is my mission to improve mine and others’ quality of life through reduced stress, healthier physical and mental habits, and stronger and more meaningful connections to my friends and family.
I can never fully achieve my mission, since all of these points can always be improved upon. Rather it states the aim for my goals. It is separate from my professional mission statement. While I won’t bore you with some of the goals that don’t pertain to my weight loss journey, I will establish the relevant ones here.
Goal: Steadily and safely reduce weight to 230 lbs by April 1, 2010.
- Cardio workout five times a week
- 15-30 minutes of aerobics and/or walking for 30 minutes.
- Workout in a group at least once a week- Weight training three times a week, 15-30 minutes.
- Remain active
- Eat balanced meals and snacks at regular intervals.
- Read labels.
- Prepare meals ahead of time.
- Equal portions of carbohydrates and proteins per meal.
- Multiple servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
- Avoid excess sugars and fats, greasy food, and artificial sweeteners.
- Take vitamin supplements- Maintain daily journal and record activities and food intake.
- Continue education regarding nutrition and fitness.
- Video, audio books, and podcasts
- Discussion
(Right now, I’m only doing 15 minutes of aerobics (with weights for resistance) and weight training to ensure that I don’t burn out. (Last time I tried to do 30 minutes of aerobics, I wasn’t able to finish it. Then again, I wasn’t prepared to increase the difficulty.))
This goal is fairly conservative. I need to lose an average of 1 pound per week. I also can adjust a lot of the points as needed. I need to establish a new goal once I complete this one, and I might finish it early. Should I not complete it by the deadline, I’ll need to revise it and figure out new parameters to reach it.
Well, I think that’s it for me for this interlude. As always, your feedback is much appreciated.
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