Biggest Challenge: Day 4 of Blogger Challenge

Note: This is my 4th post of the @projectdomino writer's challenge.This a challenge for bloggers and writers to post for 30 consecutive days, beginning on May 31. I will receive a prompt, or idea, from them each day, which may be the basis for that day's post. For more information on this, see my post on May 31, 2011.


Today's prompt: Identify one of your biggest challenges at the moment and turn it into a question... After 48 hours, journal what answers came up...and evaluate them.

As I want to post each day, I'm going to do an initial post for this question and then review it in 48 hours.

My challenge and question: How can I begin to exercise on a regular basis and stick to it?

This may not be my "biggest" challenge at the moment, but starting and continuing to exercise regularly has been a significant challenge for me for a very long time.

Like many things in life, the answer to this is quite simple: to just do it, and be disciplined about it.

How to stick to it? As people who know me know, I read a lot. Most advice I've read recommends that to get important things done, do them first thing in the morning. So, to be successful with an exercise routine, it would be best for me to exercise first thing in the morning, at least most of the time.

To set and accomplish goals, tracking and recording progress is important, so I should do this. I will use a monthly calendar.

One of my favorite books is The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy, publisher of Success Magazine. He writes about the effects of taking small, incremental steps toward any goal, which, over time, results in larger, long term benefits. This definitely applies to adopting an exercise routine.

Being disciplined applies to success in so many aspects of life, in order to accomplish goals. Being disciplined is also a critical factor in my business, as for our clients to be successful financially, they must be disciplined to stick with the financial plans that we develop for them. If they sell at the market bottom, they will not reap the reward of the inevitable market rebound. If I am not disciplined to make the time to exercise regularly, it won't happen.

I also want to exercise as a regular practice, as part of being a good role model for my children. This would benefit me, as well as them, and nothing could be better than that!

Other ways to accomplish a regular exercise routine:

Tell others about this goal. I've certainly done this with this post. I've shared it with my family members.

In making changes, in many situations, it is recommended to try not to take on too much change at once. I've just started doing this 30 day blogger project, and now I'm challenging myself to exercise more. However, writing these posts has created a sense of discipline and accomplishment, which is actually creating the motivation for me to start this exercise goal. Success in one area is leading to motivation in another area.

Another favorite book, which was part of the influence for participating in this blogger challenge, is Poke the Box, by Seth Godin. The key thesis of the book is "getting started" and taking the initiative to begin things. To challenge yourself and not be satisfied with the status quo. That is what this is all about.

Set goals. Do it. Stay disciplined. Repeat.