The Optimization Operation

This blog is the result of a conversation I had with a friend yesterday.

We were discussing the New Year (like everyone else that day), and I read him my New Years Resolutions off the Notes on my iPhone.

Travel out of the country
Start writing a book
Reach optimum physical health (lifestyle change-no diets)
Save $XX,XXX by the end of the year
Read two books a month

Later on, he made the comment “Your resolutions are pretty generic. I mean, they’re good but they don’t really stretch you or challenge you. They’re really attainable.”

My first (inner) reaction was to think “F*ck you! They are NOT bad resolutions! Who are you to judge me!” and other defensive thoughts. My outer reaction, since I am a polite Midwesterner at heart, was a generic non-confrontational response, and the conversation flowed on.

Later on, after I had a chance to mull over his comment, I realized that (painfully), he was right. None of the things I had set out for myself to “accomplish” were hard. In fact, they were laughably easy.

So, in this moment, I am deciding to really challenge myself.

The first thing I need to get under control is my health and fitness. If you were to run into me in the street, I highly doubt you would think “wow, she really needs to get it together” as I am in better shape than most people, and I choose to eat healthy more often than not.

But now, that’s not good enough.

I want to optimize my physical body. This includes feeling amazing and looking amazing. I ~~want to~~ will catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror after a shower and think “DAMN I look good!” I ~~want to~~ will wear a itsy bitsy bikini on the beach and be rightfully proud to stroll along the sand. Most of all, I ~~want to~~ will make this an integral part of my identity so that it becomes second nature, allowing me to move on to bigger and better things.

As the weeks progress, I will hone in on more goals that will optimize other parts of my life financially, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. These goals will be challenging, consuming, and scary. But if you’re not going to make the most effective use of your energy and time, are you really living?

This is my quest to refine my life, my promise to myself that I will do what it takes to elevate my thinking and my expectations, and my declaration that I am taking control.

This is The Optimization Operation.