You’d Better Write This Down
If you understand anything about goal-setting, personal development and success, you know the importance of writing down your goals. I once had a business coach tell me (actually he yelled at me), “If your goals ain’t written down, they ain’t real !!” While it is important to write down your goals, are you making a point of documenting your successes, as well?
I recently got my son into going to the gym with me. He’s been wanting to add more muscle to his lean frame. While he’s only been at it for a month, I am definitely seeing gains in him, however he some- what disagrees with me. We’ve already had the conversation of “slow and steady wins the race”. I’ve told my son he should be writing down the weight he is lifting with each exercise. There are too many exercises to memorize what weight he lifts with each one, but from my perspective, he is already lifting heavier than what he first lifted. I also suggested that he take measurements regularly from his chest arms and legs.
According to Pearson’s Law,
“When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates.” As a chiropractor, an important aspect in patient management is the re-evaluation process. At pre-scheduled times, a patient is reassessed, and a report of findings is given back to the patient. Improvement, successes (and even failures) should be measured, and compared to previous examinations, and then reported back to the patient. It is especially important that the patient be made aware of progress along the way. Just like someone who exercises, unless you measure along the way and document it, your successes and gains may be missed. Motivation is fed with seeing successes from your efforts.
Our kids grow up so fast that we don’t necessarily see the changes from month to month. We live with them every day so sometimes we are surprised when others notice changes in our kids before we do. I wouldn’t know how fast my kids were growing, if it wasn’t for that wall in our basement that we’ve measured them against and permanently marked on a regular basis.
Whatever you’re working on, measure your progress and document it regularly. Recently diagnosed with pre-diabetes? Write those blood sugars down and you’ll be better to relate what it is you may be doing to see better numbers.
If you don’t write it down, it ain’t real!!