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I Have Been Diagnosed With FDD

Sep 14
Posted by DaveOlson in Personal

Even the most positive people get frustrated from time to time. At least I think they do.

Well maybe I should just say that I do. And today’s my day.

Here’s why:

I was going through some old files on my computer a couple of days ago. You know the mandatory make room on the hard drive routine that all windows users are familiar with. I haven’t had to for quite a while since I switched to a Mac. :grin:

Anyway, I’m going through an old folder and I discover a file called personal goals. It was from 2000 and I completely forgot I had created it. Hidden away in a wordsmith folder from my really old Handspring Visor. Of course curiosity got the best of me and I had to open it and check it out. That’s where the frustration comes in.

failure.pngWhat I discovered was a well laid out plan to reach my personal short, mid and long term goals that I had completely abandoned. Well maybe completely is too strong of a word, but beyond the one year goals I really hadn’t done anything.

I now officially have FDD.

Frustration… Disappointment… Discouragement…

What went wrong? I’ve been thinking about why I bailed on a really good plan. I know I can’t recover the time that I lost and thankfully the most important things were stuff that got done the first year. But still… what could have made the difference and what do I do to make sure my plans do in fact materialize.

Here’s my thought. Scheduled progress reviews. I know I’ve written about them before but the truth is I’ve been a bit sporadic about it. That’s about to change!

I have scheduled into my calendar for the next three months, weekly and monthly reviews and revise times.

Do you include anything like this in your routine? How does it work? Do you have any hints for me? I don’t want to read another forgotten goals plan seven years from now.

Talk to me!

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  • http://monkatwork.com Adam Kayce : Monk At Work

    Absolutely — I review my workload daily, my projects weekly (if not more), and my direction monthly (again, if not compelled to review it more often by my neuroses!). Plus, the Big Reviews every six to eight months, where I reevaluate my entire life, it seems.

    Like you, my Mac makes it pretty easy to want to stay streamlined and efficient (besides, I’m a Virgo, so I’m kinda built for it…), so I’ve “trimmed the fat” from my files, paper and electronic, so I don’t keep outdated stuff around for very long.

    No surprises that way! :grin:

  • DaveOlson

    Thanks Adam… as always we keep learning. Thanks for the insights.

  • http://www.intrinsiclifedesign.squarespace.com/sca Lisa Gates

    Hi Dave,
    I’ve definitely experienced FDD, but I’ve discovered that it’s a “not-what-you-think” kind of thing. The daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly check-ins and revamps are all good, but I find that when I go south of my goals there’s something missing in the metaview. The big container called commitments. So often we make our commitments sound like goals, when they could be juicy lively soul shaking and compelling.

    Say my goal is something like this: To be physically fit, work out 3x week, and hike every weekend. Where’s the juice in that? If I revisit my commitment, and dig into the quality of being I want to generate, it might sound something like: I am committed to vibrant, ecstatic, sweaty strength and physical joy. What happens for me, then, is more than I expected…daily workouts, swimming, yoga, hiking, and this little thing called a permanent smile.

    Wow. That was a big fat 2 cents for a saturday.

  • http://www.todayisthatday.com/blog/ Aaron Potts – Today is that Day

    Dave,

    I’ve been there and done that with similar situations to the one that you described, and each time it happens I get even more fired up about accomplishing my goals than I previously had been.

    The most common denominator that I have found after having been through this a few times is FOCUS.

    It’s not like we get up one day and say, “Ya know, I’m tired of working towards my goals. I think I’ll just give up!”

    I don’t imagine that happens very often. However, what happens instead is that we lose FOCUS on our goals because other things get in the way. And, by all rights, they are usually things that are worthy of some of our attention.

    However, the key word there is SOME. As long as we can retain even a tenuous grip on our desire to accomplish any particular goal, we will continue to make baby steps toward it, even if we can’t make huge leaps and bounds.

    7 years of baby steps adds up to a lot more steps than 7 years of NO steps, right?

  • DaveOlson

    Aaron,

    I think you nailed it: FOCUS! It’s not giving up on goals it’s just allowing them to become more peripheral.

    Adam’s regime of regular reviews and my new regime of review will help keep focus.

    Thanks for the encouragment Aaron. :smile:

  • http://www.todayisthatday.com/blog/ Aaron Potts – Today is that Day

    Always my pleasure to do whatever I can to help, Dave! :smile:

  • DaveOlson

    Lisa…

    Thanks for the comment and email. Your comment got caught up in the akismet matrix… sorry!

    Love your ideas… commitments with JUICE! Oh yeah!

  • http://www.freetraffictip.com MorganLighter

    Dave,
    Thoughtful article.
    There’s really no secret to accomplishing goals you set for yourself. What one needs to incorporate is the methodology.
    Let’s say your list contains the following:
    1. Lose weight
    2. Save money
    3. Pay off your debts
    4. Whatever

    Now that you’ve got your list of things you want to accomplish them, you need to break them down into simple and small steps.

    Lose weight – Okay, what are you going to do to achieve this goal?
    1. What do you weigh now and what would you like to weigh? Write this down.
    2. Eat healthier – Cut out unhealthy snacks – eat fruits and vegetables instead of…..
    3. Get more exercise – Walk 3 miles a day, do 25 sit-ups a day, 15 push-ups, 15 chin-ups, etc. Set a time that you will do these everyday – if you have to get up earlier then do so.
    4. Have you joined a gym and never go there? Then start going 3x a week.
    5. Take measurements of your chest, waist, arms, legs and re-measure them 1x a week – this is feedback for you as to how you are doing. Also check your weight 1x a week. If you’re not happy with the results, step-up your regimen.
    6. Once you’ve noticed a big improvement, treat yourself to a ……..

    If you’re having trouble – enlist your spouse, or a friend to help you stay on track. You get the idea.

    Lastly, write your goals down on paper and put them in conspicuous places – the bathroom mirror, the visor of your car, on the refrigerator, in your day planner, on your closet door, etc. so that you have a constant reminder staring you in the face.
    Once your goal is reached, congratulate yourself.
    You’re a winner!

    P.S. By following this advice I lost 75 lbs. in one year. I went from 260 lbs. to 185 lbs. and now fluctuate between 182-187. My BMI is 24.

  • DaveOlson

    Hey Morgan… great advice.

  • http://www.thinkofprosperity.com Stephanie

    Hi Dave

    I am though through my journey of personal growth learning that it is not that I have forgotten or put aside my goals, it is my lack of focus. Those gremlins creep back and old habits surface. At least now I am aware and I can press that reset button and tell those gremlins “yes, that was me but this is the new me, so you can just go away”

    I also have posties in obvious places as Morgan suggested for a constant reminder. They do work!

    Make it a great one!

  • DaveOlson

    Stephanie…

    Thanks for stopping in. I completely agree with you about focus. If you can keep focussed you can accomplish just about anything. I’m still fighting for focus.

  • http://webgrrrl.net/ Lorna

    It’s pretty hard to schedule anything in this period of my lifetime, what with 2 little kids and another one on the way. I may be able to focus more once they grow up a bit, but now my focus is on my kids, and not so much on myself. Oh well, the sacrifice we make for our children.

    You have some great posts here — I’ll make sure to bookmark your site so that I can come read the rest.

  • DaveOlson

    Lorna.. I hear you about the little kids. We had four kids under 5 at one time. Actually… my wife knows exactly how you feel. I got to go to work everyday.

    Just so you know, the kids still require your focus… even after they get married and move out. :smile: At least it sure seems like it.

    Thanks for dropping in. I do hope you come by again.