MMT2 - Week 1 Complete!

One week in to the Challenge! Woo hoo! Most of the folks in MMT2-land are logging their exercise sessions and time and are *crushing* the challenge. Only a few are having a bit of trouble finding their mojo - it's in you somewhere...really…you can do this.

Then there are some folks who had their mojo flowing for a few days and then got side-lined. Perhaps it was work-related, an illness, owwies, the blahs...there are lots of reasons we fall off our exercise plan. But, if we're going to make this MMT2 Challenge work - they have to stay valid "reasons" and not become "excuses." Overcome the setback and get back on track with accomplishing the goal.

There's a common phrase/quote that we like: "Failing to plan is planning to fail." The MMT2 staff is currently hanging up a door-sized year-long planning calendar. We'll mark out the events we want to do this year and backwards plan to figure out some intermediate goals and milestones. Every time we walk between the kitchen and living room we'll see the goals and reasons we're getting out there and getting it done - even on dreary days when we'd really rather grow roots in the couch.

Yes, it's a bit intimidating to write down your goals and display them - putting yourself out there is tough. But it's a great way to focus and to hold yourself accountable. It's also a great way for other folks to help with your goals -- anyone who comes over to the house notices the calendar and inevitably offers support (and the obligatory "you're nuts!"). I also have an index card with a few priorities/goals sitting visible at my desk at work. Looking at the card and the calendar every day helps make the things on them real. It's as if writing down or displaying the event moves it from the "it would be good to ..." into the "I am going to ..." world. "I will" and "I can" are powerful phrases.

Lao Tzu said "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Pick your destination, write it down, and take that step. It won't be easy, but choices rarely are.

Now that you have your goals displayed and a weekly/monthly plan, it is also important to write down what you have accomplished. Keep an exercise diary and log your workouts! We have our primitive version on the MMT blog, but that is really just designed for the challenge. We also use a free online exercise log at trainingpeaks.com to keep track of our training. I'm sure there are others - and you can always resort to using a primitive word-processor (a pencil). The most important thing is to keep track of what you are doing. It will give you a sense of accomplishment and you can see the progress you are making! By keeping a record of your exercise it also helps to hold you to your plan.

For the record, ya'll have logged over 145 hours -- if we were a relay team, that's more than 6 days of continuous exercise!

Keep up the great work!