Small Goals

After this weekend's blatherings, I thought a positive post would be good for today.

Last night at work, I repeated my Sunday evening's goal of forcing myself to climb three flights of stairs, then needlessly descend the three flights only to need to ascend them again, all the while chanting, "I love hard work.  I love sweat.  I love discipline."  Twice per shift.  Mental Toughening.  No excuses.

Yesterday was my first unicycle ride, and it was a good ride.  Confident.  Strong.  Today, I didn't want to.  I thought the excuse of  "No need to overwork the muscles and risk injury" worked pretty well.  For a little while, at least.  I finally kicked myself in the mental arse and got dressed to ride.

Again, it was cool, and rainy, although not actively raining.  The ride felt a good bit less confident, less strong.  I could definitely feel my quads straining.  I chanted my mantra, "Sit in seat, chin up, wiggle fingers, breathe."  It always helps.  I really had to focus on technique and relaxing to help my quads function adequately.  Some days, I'll ride with a certain distance in mind.  Today's goal was to not fall.

It seems odd to most people.  Don't fall.  Such a simple goal.  Of course, if you are riding you aren't falling, and if you're falling, you aren't riding.  So if the goal is to ride, not falling is fairly fundamental.  You fall a lot learning to ride a unicycle, then you get better, and the falls become less frequent.  When my quads start to give out, its the first sign of an impending upd (un-planned dismount).  And that's what today was.  Just don't fall.

Some days are like that.  Its great to have goals to look forward to.  Vacation in six months.  Pay off the car in three.  Drop twenty pounds by the end of the summer.  Getting through the next two hours somehow seems insignificant compared to something months away, and yet its the decisions made in the next two hours that bring me closer to success or failure.

I didn't fall.  I made the half-mile, took my standard couple minute break, then made it back.  Success.  I made the distance, but my goal was not falling.  I met my goal.  I won't always make my goal.  I'll fail, I'll beat myself up, and you'll probably hear about it.  Then I'll make myself climb stairs, or do some other needless activity to punish myself, and be on my way again.

But for the second day in a row, Today is a good day.