My 2013 goals, part 5 of 30

Original photo by jurvetson

Day 5 of Chalene Johnson's 30 Day PUSH is to reverse engineer your PUSH goal.  So, since I am an engineer by both degree and profession, this should be a snap.  Just let me go get my calculator and calipers out. . .

Chalene defines reverse engineering as: to take something apart and figure out its inner workings before you begin to build your own version.

For goals, you want to reduce them down to a step-by-step road map to success.

Step 1 of Chalene's reverse engineering is to brain storm.  She recommends using your smartphone (assuming you have one, which most people do by now).  However, if you've ever actually written anything of length on your smartphone, you know that it takes FOREVER!  So, instead, use an app (Yes, there is an app for that. . .) like Evernote.  Evernote is awesome because even with the basic service, you can put it on your smartphone, tablet, AND computer and they will all be synced.  That way, no matter where you are or what device you have with you, you can make changes and always see the latest version.  Pretty sweet.

Anyway, step 1, brainstorming - with pen and paper (or Evernote), create a list of absolutely everything and anything you're going to need to know, do, acquire, master, and so on to achieve your goal.  It doesn't matter what order the ideas come in, just keep brainstorming.

Step 2 is to break down every idea in your list so that it takes no longer than 1 day to complete.

Step 3 is to create a realistic schedule of how long each task should take (wasn't step 2 one-day tasks?) and the proposed completion/execution date.

My PUSH goal is to get my ISSA personal training cert and have 5 clients by the end of 2013.  So, some of the brainstorming stuff would be to buy the ISSA personal trainer certification package, study, research what other personal trainers charge for sessions in my area, study, research different exercises, study, research different exercise equipment, study, find a good liability release form (especially for here in SoCal!!), study, get a website, study, business cards, study, web site design, study, study, and did I mention study?

I've actually already purchased and received my ISSA package, check.  In it, there is a convenient study guide for the huge 700+ page book I will eventually have read cover-to-cover.  There are also practice tests and quizzes.   In addition, there is a neat little one pager on stats for personal trainers, like average income, etc.  Pretty nice.  A lot of my 'break down" and research is already there.  I can and will augment all of this stuff, but up front I am well on my way.

Another plus to all of this is that I have been looking into being a coach/personal trainer for a LONG time.  So, this isn't an idea I hatched just recently and am just blindly following through with.  I have already been a USA Cycling level 3 cycling coach and I took the course to become a level 2 cycling coach.  Unfortunately, because of work and other circumstances, I delayed taking the final exam too long and didn't pass.  Se la vi.

Time to study.  HA!