A Goal Is A Dream With A Plan

So wrote Macca in his book ‘I’m Here To Win’.

Goals are the basis of motivation and motives. Goals give us a purpose to advance and progress in our lives. Which are some of your recent goals?

Here are my collaborative marathon race strategies my runner model and pacer, Melvin How; we interviewed him a few months ago on aging athletes.

Plan A: First 2km at 5:00-5:15 minute/km pace to ease into a race pace. Hold the heart-rate at 155BPM +/- 2% for 30km, then open up in the final 12km and ignore the spike in HR. We hope to hold our pace and heart-rate for a race-day average of 4:42min/K as many factors can affect performance.

Plan B: If Melvin’s heel condition flares up, then we switch to damage control and attempt for a target of a revised Boston Qualifier (BQ) instead of the 3:20:00 goal. For our age group, a BQ has to be 3:24:59 and faster. As of 2013, all BQs have been reduced across the board by five minutes.

Plan C: If it is too painful for Melvin to continue, I will be on my own while he just attempts to finish, or target the SAFRA CRT time of 3:45:00 for veterans.

I am thankful that Melvin agreed to pace with me, as I believe that this may allow me to pace with more discipline. I have a tendency to race with my heart instead of my head in the initial portion of my races. If I aspire to earn a negative split on my second-half, then it will involve me sticking to my plan and not just sticking to my guns.

I posted on the Facebook forum that I am tapering for next weekend’s marathon. Actually, it is business as usual as this 42.195K is part of my preparation for IMNZ 2012. This is my final A-race for 2011, and a time trial in itself. Next week is my second training block after my Build Phase. My Endurance building block is next, focusing on managing a higher workload.

Success: Book Smart or Street Smart?

Billionaire-TV celebrity, Donald Trump based his award-winning series The Apprentice on the premise of the nature-nurture debate. Will the ultimate apprentice he selects prove that street smartness triumphs over academic intelligence? That’s where the politics plays out in the challenges and dysfunctional team dynamics. Having business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit, is relevant as a staff as it is an entrepreneur.

For new readers directed from REDSPORT.SG, here is an essay that may, perhaps, be useful for undergraduates and working mid-lifers who are seriously contemplating a career change or reconfiguration. When we creatively extract life lessons from abstract topics like sports, we may discover more than meets the eye. Here are some useful lessons that you can use to prepare yourself for your future employ.

1)    Have a plan. Make it clear for you. Make a life-chart that is large, colourful and noticeable. Anthony Robbins wrote his first plan behind a roadmap- a map upon a map! Stick pictures of places you wish to visit, and things you’d like to have. Add a Bucket-List wile you are it.

2)    Write up a SWOT Analysis of your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Update this regularly as you become more knowledgeable and skillful. The idea is to become strong, empowered and re-inventive, so as to stay relevant in the marketplace for as long as you desire.

3)    Build your Personal Branding. What are your values, beliefs, preferences, prejudices and perceptions about people, work and recreation? How do you build your credibility? How do you build your reputation that stands you out, with distinction and your signature moves?

4)    Learn and apply your skills. Develop mastery in some skills. Exceed yourself. Test your skills daily. Take on a measurable challenge. Chinese undergraduates run a marathon to have an edge towards qualifying for the top universities. Train for your job interviews. Answer questions clearly with no hesitation. Learn independence. Learn to assemble a DIY cupboard, replace a light-bulb, wash your sports-gear, sun your shoes (before it pongs) or cook a simple meal for yourself.

5)    Attempt and attain dynamic work-life balance. Eventually, this will make way for work-life choice (a term popularized by ex-GE CEO Jack Welch) as priorities shift and change.

6)    Develop your soft-skills. Be persuasive. Be influential. Lead. Be a leader. Assume responsibly key leadership positions in university or the polytechnic.

7)    Surround yourself with experts. We stand on the shoulders of giants! Learn from the old and young. Be curious. Discover your ignorance and ingenuity. Value discipline. Discipline means doing the chores, and enjoying the process however mundane it may be.

8)    You will make mistakes! Nobody’s perfect. There are enough fallen leaders to remind us of the fallacies of leadership. Value your values. Walk your talk, and be consistent. How you bounce back from failure is your resilience. Snap back, re-focus and get back on track.

9)    Either you lead, or follow. The choice is available at all times. You can be a servant and a leader. Lead and serve. Lead to serve. Be in the service of your team. Serve them well. If you won’t lead, treat people humanely well, at least.

Feel free to comment if you need clarification. Have a good weekend!