The Journey
290/365
A goal can be defined as the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it.
A little Background:
On Day 98 (12/27/09) of this project, I became irritated with my weight and set a goal to lose 25lbs from 224.5 to 199.5lbs. Over the next few months I tried to do this with diet alone losing 18 lbs but lapsed into some old habits and by day 218 (4/26/10) I had gained 6 of those pounds back then weighing 213.3lbs. The diet alone approach continued to not work until day 255 (6/2/10) weighing 216lbs I became furious with myself. From that day until today I have counted every calorie, worked out every day, and on Day 290 my scale read 199.5.
When I set that “goal” I assumed that when I reached it you would see a triumphant image, me celebrating, or sitting on a bench taking in the accomplishment, but as I looked at that number on the scale I realized something about myself. That number no longer is as important to me because over a week ago I had reset the “goal” weight to 185lbs.
So I began thinking about the way goals have played into my life. Graduating high school was never a goal, it was a given I was going to college. By the time I was graduating from college I had set my sights on graduate school. By the time I was handed the document proclaiming I had an MBA I was focused on furthering my career and landing the next job. My work career has progressed in the same manor, from accounting manager, to Manager of Finance and HR to Corporate Controller.
I have realized that my “goal” has never been to reach an endpoint and terminate, it has always been to be on a path, passing milestones along the way, noticing them pass and finding the new direction I will be taking. As I get closer to the end of this project I find myself dreading it, wondering “what will I do next”, “where will I go from here”?
So Day 290 is symbolized in this image by me walking past the bench, in the direction of the light, not knowing the final destination but knowing I am on the right path, and being comfortable never reaching the light as I will continually adjust my goal to remain on “The Journey”.
The Journey
290/365
A goal can be defined as the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it.
A little Background:
On Day 98 (12/27/09) of this project, I became irritated with my weight and set a goal to lose 25lbs from 224.5 to 199.5lbs. Over the next few months I tried to do this with diet alone losing 18 lbs but lapsed into some old habits and by day 218 (4/26/10) I had gained 6 of those pounds back then weighing 213.3lbs. The diet alone approach continued to not work until day 255 (6/2/10) weighing 216lbs I became furious with myself. From that day until today I have counted every calorie, worked out every day, and on Day 290 my scale read 199.5.
When I set that “goal” I assumed that when I reached it you would see a triumphant image, me celebrating, or sitting on a bench taking in the accomplishment, but as I looked at that number on the scale I realized something about myself. That number no longer is as important to me because over a week ago I had reset the “goal” weight to 185lbs.
So I began thinking about the way goals have played into my life. Graduating high school was never a goal, it was a given I was going to college. By the time I was graduating from college I had set my sights on graduate school. By the time I was handed the document proclaiming I had an MBA I was focused on furthering my career and landing the next job. My work career has progressed in the same manor, from accounting manager, to Manager of Finance and HR to Corporate Controller.
I have realized that my “goal” has never been to reach an endpoint and terminate, it has always been to be on a path, passing milestones along the way, noticing them pass and finding the new direction I will be taking. As I get closer to the end of this project I find myself dreading it, wondering “what will I do next”, “where will I go from here”?
So Day 290 is symbolized in this image by me walking past the bench, in the direction of the light, not knowing the final destination but knowing I am on the right path, and being comfortable never reaching the light as I will continually adjust my goal to remain on “The Journey”.