Day Eighty-Nine: Milestones

Who doesn't enjoy projects?

Corporate project managers set up their projects according to their timelines, resources, and deliverables. School is wrapped up into a semester, about four months that finish with a bang. There's an exam every few weeks...then a final.

Milestones are an important part of any project.

A favorite way to look at health and fitness goals is as a series of projects. You might have a goal to complete a fitness program, then a goal to run a 5K...then a goal to lose 5 pounds or do a triathlon. It's important to set final goals, but realize there's never really an end...more of a continuation.

Some tips that help with this include:

• Set up a couple of projects a year, maybe 3-4 or so. Having something new every few months helps keep it interesting. It also allows you to cross train, be a more versatile athlete, and avoid injury.
• Utilize seasons...warmer weather can bring about activities that are outdoors, you can plan indoor activities during the winter.
• Break up big goals into smaller ones. You might have a big goal to finish a marathon. That's a year or two commitment. Train for it...5K, 10K, 20K, 30K....and so on. Break up the project into a series of projects.
• Celebrate your milestones as you have them. Every 3-4 months, you should be celebrating something.
• Do not celebrate with time off. Time off is for rest and repair as your body needs it. Celebrate with a massage, buying a new outfit or swimsuit, going on that ski trip...
• Do not celebrate with food. Food is fuel, food is not a reward.
• Overlap projects. As one is wrapping up, already commit to another one. This gives you the ability to finish the current project, celebrate the milestone, take any rest/repair time that you need, and get back into the swing of things so that your next project begins and you're up and training.
• Calendar and structure. As you are planning your project, plan your training for it. Think about your other commitments and responsibilities. Determine what your next several months are going to look like to see if it's manageable, if not...search for another project and come back to this one when you've got the ability and resources. Or, break this project up into smaller, more manageable chunks.

I challenge you to plan your training projects and celebrate your milestones.