March 30, 2008
Scaling back
I started last week with a to do list that was 10 miles long. By the end of the week, I'd traveled about eight miles down the path, and that was just fine.
I wrote five articles instead of seven, but they were solid, well-reported, well-written stories. I updated the work blog every day. I put out a decent e-mail newsletter on Friday, though I enlisted more help from my colleagues than I usually do. The business journalism workshop I helped pull together was a huge success. The multimedia-focused regional SPJ conference drew near 100 people, though my contributions to that event were not as great as I'd have liked.
It was worth it, despite the 12- to 14-hour days, the crappy food I ate when I had no time to cook, and the surprise hives, which I now suspect arose from stress. I'm glad I set lofty goals, but I'm also glad I was able to scale back a bit mid week when I realized that some of the goals were unrealistic.
I'm starting to think another goal I set for myself this year was also unrealistic. The marathon. I don't like running more than about 7 miles in one go. When I try, my feet hurt for days, my knees hurt for days, I have to take the elevator instead of the stairs because of the pain I'm in. Long runs bore me. I'd rather be hiking or skiing or riding my bike or reading a book or swimming or doing just about anything else.
So I think I'm gonna scale back. I don't have to run a marathon. I'm not even going to try anymore. I can keep running three or four times a week. I can work on getting faster instead of building distance. And then, with all the freed up time I have on weekends, I can enjoy my life a little bit more.
Posted by Courtney_Sherwood at March 30, 2008 04:38 PM
Comments
Yes! You don't have to do things that you don't like. You don't have to do the ultimate of every thing you do (like running). Good realizations!
Posted by: Anonymous at March 30, 2008 09:38 PM
I hear triathlons are pretty sweet. Not that I'd know, considering I haven't run in over a year, haven't been swimming for several years, and haven't biked in nearly a decade.
Posted by: erin rovito at March 31, 2008 12:22 AM
It sounds excellent to abandon the goal of running a marathon. I would also vote that you make relaxation and pursuing serenity each day a goal somewhere in your rich goal mix. However, from reading your blog, you certainly do have a good time, a lot of fun, and much satisfaction from all your goals. It would be hard for me to say that it isn't worth it to you, all this goal-orientation. When I was still in high school and asking what I wanted from life, it was always greedy versions of "to live life to the hilt." That is kind of what I see you doing, reaching out in all directions, truly enjoying the entire range of life out there, and I can relate. Your family loves you and admires you. Therefore we want you to take care of you. Love, from another one.
Posted by: Sue at March 31, 2008 08:46 AM
Thanks, everyone. I agree with what you all say - I don't have to do things I don't want, I should focus on serenity a bit (though goals are fun), and triathlons do sound fun.
Posted by: Courtney at March 31, 2008 12:33 PM