IF YOU ONLY READ ONE PART OF THIS POST let it be the last section: “Believe in the goodness of your dreams.”
That being said, here’s what you’re in for:
How often do you want to do your MVA?
What task or activity that you already do that you’re pairing your MVA with?
What’s your 80/20 rule (time for life to happen and space to make it up)?
List your top five priorities most important to least important.
Schedule yourself a check in day?
Who can you get involved? Do you need to hire a coach, schedule a workout time with someone so you show up, or ask someone to take on a project with you?
Write a paragraph about the good reaching your goal will do for others!
ESTABLISH A SYSTEM TO FREQUENTLY & REPEATEDLY ACCOMPLISH YOUR MVA
While choosing your MVA well is important (you can read about how to do that here), creating a system to accomplish your MVA is equally important because willpower and discipline get tired.
Your MVA is made up of:
The thing you can do RIGHT NOW that will move you in the direction of your goals
The thing you will actually do.
The minimum amount of time (or reps) you can see yourself doing it.
Your MVA System includes:
When
How often
Time frame
WHEN
It’s easy to have a great idea and think through the steps to get there and never actually do the steps because well, we all have a life and adding one step to that life even if it only takes 15min is really really hard. We don’t naturally do an extra thing for 15 minutes a day unless it’s talking extra to a friend or sleeping in.
So tell yourself when you’re going to do your MVA. When can mean “before you do anything else,” “before you go to bed at night,” or a specific time, like 130pm.
I like to link my “extra” step to something I already do. That’s why my extra fitness step is linked to when I go to crossfit. I’m already there, it’s no big deal to stay an extra 15min.
HOW OFTEN
Typically I do my MVA 1 or 3 times a week. Blogging takes a lot of time, so I only blog once a week. Once a week is sustainable for me (when it comes to blogging).
If I work on crossfit skills once a week for 15min, I’m probably not gonna see the greatest results. Also, if I need to head out to a meeting after crossfit I might not get my ONE skill session in. Striving for three times a week, makes sure I get it in at least twice (also, I go to crossfit 3-4 times a week, so 3 skill sessions would be everytime I go to crossfit).
However often you choose to do you MVA, I strongly recommend you make it a minimum of weekly (otherwise it’s easy to forget it’s even in your routine).
TIME FRAME
You already know how often, so what's the time frame for how often.
I tend to operate in weeks (ie, my crossfit and blogging goals). You could make your time frame a month or even a year.
For example, I have a goal to play the harp in the hospice hospital unit 12 times this year (the goal is once a month, but if something happens - like January and February not playing at all - I can make up the performance times).
Still with me?!
CREATE SPACE FOR GRACE {if you only read TWO parts of this post, let this be the second section}
“We’re going to do the 80/20 rule,” my nutrition coach told me.
I looked at him blankly.
“Meaning, I’m not expecting you to do this perfectly. Every ten meals you get two cheat meals.”
“Oh, sounds good,” I thought. Seeing as I’m supposed to eat five meals a day, that makes 35 meals a week, which means I get almost one cheat meal EVERY DAY. I can do that!
That’s what “space for grace” means. Room for you to avoid burnout and beating yourself up. I do this in two ways:
scheduling space
setting priorities
SCHEDULING SPACE
When I decided to go professional as a harpist I decided to play the harp two hours a day. I knew that was a lofty goal so I said this, “Play 2 hours every week day. With the ultimate goal to play 10 hour a week. That way I had the weekend to make up any time I missed.”
I actually scheduled make-up time into my goal.
SETTING PRIORITIES
If I ever get caught between two important things and can’t decide which is most important I usually do neither. If I decide ahead of time what’s most important to me I know exactly what to decide when I get caught.
My current priorities in order:
Spiritual / emotional health
Physical health
Relationships (which for me ties into the first priority)
Business / writing
Even though I’ve got significant business and writing goals, I stop working on the my computer at 8pm so that my brain can wind down and I can get a good night's sleep. If someone invites me to a beach party on the weekend and I had planned to write, I reschedule the writing and take care of my mental and relational health.
If business and writing were my number one priority I would write until all hours of the night and skip the party. Does that make sense?!
This also gives me freedom to go all out on my goals when there’s not a party and before 8pm at night, because I know there’s a sign-off-of-work time and when there’s a chance to be with people I’m gonna take it - I better work hard while it’s work time.
CONNECT THE LONG TERM GOAL TO THE SHORT TERM ACTION
Not gonna lie, working on the skills at the gym for 15min after a crossfit class isn’t my favorite thing to do. But when I think about how practicing a hand-stand push up and using a band to help me do pull ups is getting my closer to not having to modify the workouts in the 2020 open I’m willing to put in the work.
An important part of connecting the short term action to the long term goal is making sure you’re continually moving toward the goal.
You do that in two ways:
1) Continually think about the long term goal. When I’m practicing my skills I’m thinking about the full movement and the ultimate goal of no modifications
2) Check in with yourself to track your progress and reset your MVA (if needed) whether that’s once a month or once a week.
Recently, I realized I was super bored doing my skill training after crossfit (actually, I skipped a few). I asked myself, “Why am I bored?”.
The truth?! I needed to make my modifications harder. I hadn’t set a check-in day for myself and got lost in the monotony of the short-term goal.
Instead of two mats for handstand push ups I need to use one (it’s scary). Instead of focusing on descending pulls up I need to do real pull ups with a band (it’s just plain hard).
GET PEOPLE INVOLVED
As I look back, the times I had the most growth in the shortest amounts of time were the times I had a coach, the times I had the most fun were the times I was with people, the times I did things that I felt mattered most were the things I did with and for others.
People matter. Not only do they provide incredible accountability when we commit and share what we’re going for (because we don’t want to let them down or look silly) but they provide meaning.
There’s three ways I’ve included people:
Team (delegate, work together...)
Coach (professional, fitness…)
Accountability (informal, phone calls, workouts…)
How do you need to involve people in your goals?!
BELIEVE IN THE GOODNESS OF YOUR DREAMS {this is the part you should read if you skip all the rest}
I think the is one of the most significant reasons I accomplish big things over and over again:
I believe achieving my dreams is just good for everyone around me (not just myself). I believe others witnessing my accomplishment grows their belief and as my goals become bigger I’m forced to involve others.
I can’t be the best version of myself by myself and as a result I take people along with me.
Marianne Williamson said (emphasis mine):
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
The thing about light is that a second light bulb doesn't make the first one less bright, the brightness just increases. I believe that’s what happens with us as we pursue our goals, involve people along the journey, and help others accomplish their goals!
Jesus said it this way (John 15:6-8, emphasis mine):
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
I have six friends who have dared to do triathlons since I’ve done triathlons. They message me about training and transitions and what to expect. I know a whole family who started crossfit because I encouraged them to do so after my experience with crossfit.
One of my dear friends tells her fiance about that time she was a speaker at a conference. A conference I hosted and invited her to speak at. There’s a college student who puts on banquets for the orientation weeks because she worked with me to host balls for up to 200 people.
When we set goals and go after them others are inspired to get after their goals. If she did it I can do it.
Building our own belief builds others belief. And if that’s the only thing setting and achieving my goals accomplished I would consider it well worth it!
YOU TURN:
This got long again, but I didn't want you to have to wait another week to get all this, so here's how to make the most of it:
How often do you want to do your MVA?
What task or activity that you already do that you’re pairing your MVA with?
What’s your 80/20 rule (time for life to happen and space to make it up)?
List your top five priorities most important to least important.
Schedule yourself a check in day?
Who can you get involved? Do you need to hire a coach, schedule a workout time with someone so you show up, or ask someone to take on a project with you?
Write a paragraph about the good reaching your goal will do for others!
That’s a lot, especially if you stuck around for last weeks post. I’ve spent a lot of years coming up with these systems. Don’t get overwhelmed by doing IT ALL. Choose one or two tips. Focus on those!
Which two are you gonna own this coming month?! Let me know in the comments! Or email me or DM me on social media!!!