December 13, 2005
I am sitting in the middle of moving boxes, drinking red wine and eating broccoli in a temporary kitchen office at exactly 1:03am. I have been sooo busy lately. From a long drive from Arizona to San Francisco last weekend, a 24 Hour Fitness Express convention in Pleasanton, a big, annual Christmas party in Sacramento, and work deadlines, unpacking, Christmas decorating, working out and eating moderately in-between all the chaos.
It was Saturday night at 11pm in Walmart (when I was doing some last minute Christmas Decoration shopping for the party on Sunday) when I passed a mirror and was shocked to see my reflection. I realized that I hadn’t brushed my hair all day: my eyes exhibited cloudy fatigue, and my skin lacked color and glow. I quickly told Louis to hand me my purse so I can smooth my hair, brush on some mascara and apply some lip gloss.
Like everyone else in the world, I get tired: sometimes, I don’t even care how my physical appearance is projected. But regardless of the obstacles that faced me, I still managed to work out: it didn’t matter if it was 5am or 10pm – I got it done. I still met deadlines, I still maintained my network, I still worked hard …I still kept consistent on the most important thing that marked my success up to this date: I still followed through.
Sometimes in life, while you can’t give something 110% or even 101% – the fact that you said you would do it: and you did it – is power. Do not underestimate the power of predicting an action and making it come alive through preceding actions. Finishing a target goal gives you a perfect score of 100% for plain, simple completion.
The best way to determine your position on the field is to track your habits/actions. Since I was in fifth grade I’ve used different journals to assist me in everything: my workout charts, my diet journals, my personal diaries, my professional planners and my dream documentations. Lately, I’ve been leaning on my personal invention of the acronym: S.P.E.E.D. to set and complete life goals.
I firmly believe that your ability to quickly absorb information, access the problem, create a solution and execute in a focused action is what supports the success module. S.P.E.E.D represents focused strength, mind power, prepared execution and accomplished success. My definition of SPEED is defined in simple war map form:
S: Set the Goal
P: Plan the Attack
E: Envision the Battle
E: Execute the Action
D: Deliver the Goods.
While I am tired – I know that sometimes I confuse hard earned combat wounds with painful fatigue – sometimes I confuse anxiousness to fight with nervousness – sometimes I confuse new momentum with real power. S.P.E.E.D. is Real power. I am ready to set my goals for tomorrow – and the next day – |the next week – |and the new year. Dreaming is fun. Executing is fun. And it’s this reminder of personal choice that keeps me sane when I pass by a department store mirror and look like I was hit by lightning. If I can predict each day and look like a beauty queen each second…life would get pretty boring, really fast. Thank God I developed the S.P.E.E.D. required to quickly recognize my defeats, make plans for future success and win in this track relay called life.