Gimicks Help Me Stay On Track

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Submitted by FatherOfAsh on Fri, 09/26/2008 - 12:33.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but most of the time the results of my actions just aren't enough to keep me motivated. Whether it's saving up money or shedding fat, I often reach points where those things just aren't enough and I'd rather do something that interests me more. Knowing this about myself, I have learned that one way to get around this boredom is to utilize some sort of reward program. Whether some sort of recognition that I can show off and be proud of, or just some way to quantify results in the short term, I have to admit this sort of thing works for me.

I thought about this when I made up a sort of absurd game for myself when it comes to eating out for breakfast and lunch. The way it works is simple, for every meal I don't eat out I get to put money into my savings account. I decided that breakfast would be worth $5, lunch $10 for a combined total of $15 for any day I decline to go out for either. Plenty of other details that I won't worry you with, but the end result is that if I'm really good in a given month I manage to stuff $300 into my savings. The monthly total isn't what does it for me, though. It's that daily pick up that I get to save money.

More into the fitness, I have two ways that I reward myself on a less frequent basis that challenge me somewhat more. First is kung fu. I really did not sign up to learn to fight. I really started in for the sake of getting more fit. The more I'm there, though, the more I feel myself wanting to get that next belt, and I'm sure that in a few years I will be looking toward that black belt with excitement. It simply appeals to the competitive part of my nature. I want to do better. If I were somewhere that just gives everyone their belt for coming out, it wouldn't be the same. It's that I know that having the belt really means something. It's something I can be proud of.

I guess that while I'm admitting to my childish pursuit of gold stars, I should mention the Presidents Challenge. (http://www.presidentschallenge.org) Someone else on this site brought it up and I went ahead and signed on some number of months back. Well, last night I kicked and punched my way past the number of points I needed to earn my President's Champions Bronze award. Nerd that I am, I have gone ahead and ordered the pretty paper and such to show off to my friends and family who will surely just shake their heads at me. That's fine. It wasn't about them, really, and it did what I needed it to do and will continue to do so as I pursue the silver award next.