I’m a goal setter when it comes to fitness. To keep me motivated, I need to have goals in mind. Some are small goals while others are more on the long term scale. Last week I accomplished a goal I had set 11 months ago. Yes, one of my long term goals had been reached.
Last week I competed at USA Karate Nationals in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Last summer when Team Intense returned from Nationals, I was encouraged to compete in 2015. At that time I had never even considered competing in karate. However, since I had several people encouraging me, I decided why not. I started taking more karate classes and completed my first competition in October 2014. In November, I joined the competition classes to further assist my training. You see, I don’t do things half way. If I was going to compete at Nationals, I was going for it. I trained five days a week at the dojo. Since I was completely immersed in the sport, I fell in love with not only karate but with my teammates.
At the end of June 2015, I officially submitted my application to compete at Nationals in July. When I hit that submit button, tears started streaming down my face. The long days, the frustration, the victories, the sweat, the blood, the injuries and the coaching had all paid off. I was going to Nationals! I can’t even explain the feeling. A whole flood of emotions came over me as one of my long term goals had been reached. It was awesome!
Of course I had goals for Nationals too. I won’t go into details but I’m happy to share that those goals were met! I earned a Bronze medal in Kata (form) and a Gold medal in Kumite (sparring) in the Beginner/Novice Female ages 35-44 division. Not only did I get to compete, I got to cheer on the rest of Team Intense. Watching my teammates was one of the best experiences in my life to date. I was the only adult from our dojo competing with the rest of the team ranging in ages from 7 to 17. These kids had worked so hard just like myself. Being there watching them accomplish their goals was beyond amazing. Of course there were heartbreaking moments too. But no matter if they won or loss, everyone gave it there all leaving everything on the mat. You can’t ask for more than that!
A few things to keep in mind…
- It’s never too late to start something new. Find an activity you love and immerse yourself in it. You never know where it will lead.
- Don’t let the road of life become stagnant. Put yourself out there, take on a challenge and set a goal.
- When setting goals, set both short term and long term goals. Make your goals something you can accomplish yet challenging.
- Celebrate your victories and then set new goals. I took a week off working out after Nationals to rejuvenate. Now I’m ready to get back at it and set my goals for 2016!
What about you? Have you accomplished any major goals lately? I would love to hear about them!
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