A Reader asked me (more than once) if I was going to report back on my own progress on my objectives from 2023! Since the big ball dropped a couple of days ago, I guess this is a good time to do that!
My personal objectives were pretty straightforward this year. Here we go:
- Take lessons quarterly. I came up just a little short on this one. I took 3 lessons during the year (2/8, 4/10, and 8/16). I missed taking one in the 4th quarter. I can say that each lesson was fantastic and led to a lot of new learning! I can’t emphasize enough how important it has been for me to work with a trusted coach. I intend to continue the process in 2024
- Practice at least 2x / week with focus. I can’t say that I did this each and every week of 2023, but I did hit the target more weeks than not! Mostly, I practiced with other shooters having similar skill levels using a combination of skills practice and performance practice (shooting mock competitions). I think these practice sessions were very effective.
- Maintain cardio fitness by riding 3000 miles on the bike including one century ride (100 miles). Check! I actually biked over 3400 miles for the year and on May 20th, I completed a solo ride of 100 miles (those not familiar with biking might appreciate that a ride of that length took just under 7 hours!). Additionally, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I completed a sprint triathlon. I plan on doing an Olympic distance tri in 2024!
- Work out 3x / week including 2x at the gym. I kinda blew this one out of the water! 3x / week would have amounted to 156 workouts. My gym check-in register indicates I went 225 times! It paid off too. My doctor commented that my body had really changed when he walked into the exam room for my physical in Dec. After the exam, he commented that I should write a book on reversing aging! Hearing his comments made all of the hard work really worthwhile!
- Enter at least one Fitasc event! Check! Expanding into Fitasc has really enhanced my enjoyment of shot gunning! Which brings us to the final objective:
- Peg the fun meter! I really think I nailed this one too! While I did not shoot as many tournaments as in previous years, I really enjoyed each and every shoot I entered, as well as all of the practice rounds. There were a few times when I bailed on an event when it was just too cold or wet– and while the “fear of missing out (FOMO) can be a nagging feeling, I was pleased with my decisions overall!
So there you go! Setting objectives for our recreational / fitness activities need not be a complicated process. I hope reviewing mine might inspire you to think about how you approach your sport or other activities! Feel free to look thru my other posts related to goal setting. You can find them all at this link HERE
Happy 2024 to all!