Learning Curve

Have you heard when you learn a new skill, all your original skills get worse for a while? Something to do with energy expenditures, change of focus, reorganizing brain matter - something like that.

Well, February was one long dropped ball as far as practicing new skills go.

TT: That's the right phrase, isn't it? When you throw a football and the guy at the other end of the field doesn't catch it? I don't know why I keep trying to use sports metaphors like I understand them.

But, practice makes perfect and perseverance is what makes practice possible. I have goals. I haven't shared them all with you, dear readers, but I wrote some down. Taking Dave Ramsey's advice, I even made them somewhat specific and measurable. Not too specific and measurable. When I started to experience petit mal panic attacks, I backed up a step and called it "good enough."

But my intention with March is to continue those goals with one important difference.

I will start now. Technically, I started yesterday, but February is very short.

See, I waited in February. The month was stretched out in front of me, looking all far away and open for business, so I didn't take the starting seriously. Then, as tends to happen with life, time contracted, and I'm left at the end with nothing to show for it except a truly exceptional Fill Zone score.

I don't want a repeat of February in March. Difficult, since March is a repeat of February plus 3 days.

Last night, I left the TV off. I exited FB and read a chapter of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, my next business book, while walking on my treadmill. I completed the daily devotional for the class I'm taking at church. I wrote some on Past Ties. And I ended with a little time for Bubble Spinner during a friend's phone call (curse you, Mindjolt! Why must your games be so attractive?).

It is a start. Last night, I saddled my donkey and reaped a tiny benefit. Good for me. Now I must do it again. One day at a time, one goal-step at a time, one skill-set at a time.

Today is the first day of the rest of my month. I will use it better.

And, yes, I'm fully aware Murphy waits around the next hour to trip me up in my perceived success. I will ignore him. When you miss a meal, you don't give up eating. If I miss a step, I will not stop walking.