To me November represents getting back to work in both a training mindset and that of business. VQ becomes very busy during this time of year. I am doing hundreds of performance tests and we really see a surge in both membership and athlete engagement.
It is important for me to be organized as my business and social calendars start to fill up at a faster rate than I am used to. Setting clearly defined business and personal goals through this busy time is mission critical; getting support and communicating these goals to everyone around me that I care about and work with is equally important. I get many great opportunities to do different things and often get involved with projects as the VQ brand and my personal brand continue to grow, but it has taken me until just recently to say "no" to these things for fear of losing focus. My good friend Jeff Wellek reminds me all the time to stay focused and I am glad he does because it is easy to drift to new projects that are appealing.
Then before I know it, I have lost focus and the things that are the most important start to suffer in a big way. I have boiled it down to priorities. If the "new projects" do not enhance or help my top three priorities, I simply have to pass. The interesting thing is that I have yet to regret passing on an opportunity that didn't fit into my top priorities. Thanks, Jeff!
As for training, now is the time to start getting serious. Your goals should be firmly placed in front of you and your course to achieving those goals should be mapped out as well. But, before you go hog wild and start training your butt off, understand that you are not in a hurry and make sure you take your time to adjust to the groove of training. Understand that finding your stride might take some time as well as some training adjustments in the beginning.
Early on, your plan should be flexible and take into consideration how your body responds initially to the new program. I recommend focusing on some of the cornerstones of sport to start: Form, Nutrition, Training Routine. Form and economy of motion alone will take a strong foundation of strength and stability. Stability and strength will help you perform your sport-specific movements with precision and efficiency. The second cornerstone is your nutrition and here come the holidays right around the corner! We know though that creating good eating habits is essential to good performance, so stay on track. The last is the training routine, specifically, making sure it is repeatable and that it blends well with the priorities of your life.
A balanced training, life and work plan is critical for success across the board. So, like many of you, I have some big goals for 2012 both with the Vision Quest Coaching business and my personal sport goals. Both will require laser focus to perform at my best, deliver best-in-class training and, most of all, keep my family, faith and self happy and balanced.
Happy Holidays to All!
Ciao,
Robbie