Fit Club

After all these years on the road, I have a keen ability to detect when something odd is about to go down. At the Hampton Inn in Minneapolis, Minnesota (home of the Golden Gophers) a pleasant young woman smiled nervously as I approached the check-in desk. Weary from yet another delayed winter flight, I dropped my bags, and I stared at her blankly. She didn't budge. Her eyes shifted back and forth, but she was frozen like a statue.

"Hello." I said, hoping to break her spell.

"It's my first night." she responded curiously. "Actually, it's my first shift on my very first day of work here." I began to wonder if this may have even been her first job. All I knew for sure is that this was the first sign that something wasn't going to be quite right tonight.

"The other guy will be right back to help you, he just had to go to his car."

Let's see here. It's 10:00 PM, I'm in Minneapolis in the winter, and my fate rests in the hands of a mysterious "other guy" who has urgent business to conduct in the parking lot. Seems about right.

Fortunately, our mystery man settled his automobile-related duties quickly enough and rushed over to check me in. (I didn't ask, and he wasn't telling.) I was just happy to be on my way. "See - no need to overreact", I thought to myself as I headed toward the elevator.

As I slowly opened the door, the largest hotel room I've ever been in stretched into the distance. I looked behind me to see if the Golden Gophers band would be joining me this evening, but all I saw was an empty hallway. (Too bad, since I love their fight song, "Minnesota Rouser".) "Hello!" I called into the room certain that an echo would come bouncing back. Little old me and this giant room. Seemed like a waste, I thought.

I did my best to get comfortable inside the cavernous room. I set up my computer, logged onto the web, and arranged my books and papers. Almost ready - what was I forgetting? In front of me, an empty coffee pot stood at attention like a faithful soldier ready to be pressed into action. Ah, caffeine! I prepped the pot, but when I went to plug it in, I noticed a problem. There was only one plug. What kind of hotel designer/masochist would force a weary business traveler to choose between coffee and the Internet? Oh the humanity!

Eventually, I sorted through the dilemma, and it reached that time of night when my brain stops working properly. I decided to settle into my oversized bed and check the latest sports news. I grabbed the remote and pressed the power button. Nothing. I walked up to the television and pressed the archaic buttons on the front of the box like some Neanderthal. Manually operating a TV? Sheesh - I'm glad my friends weren't there to see me. (Of course, there was plenty of room for them next to the Golden Gophers' horns section.)

I looked on top of the entertainment center and found a 1980s style cable box. Mystery solved. I returned to bed, and I realized that I could change the channel if I stretched my arm toward the ceiling like the Statue of Liberty. (I think I heard one of the Golden Gopher tromboners snicker at the sight.) I decided that enough was enough, and I turned out the lights, opting for the solace of sleep.

The next morning, I rubbed my eyes and got ready to start the day anew. Little did I know that the fun house hotel where nothing was quite right had yet another surprise in store for me. I grabbed a towel and searched for the shower. (The GPS unit next to the Gideon Bible proved helpful.) What I found was a whirlpool tub as large as a normal-sized hotel room with a shower head perched high above. "You can't be serious," I muttered. If you were going to get wet, you had to get in. I climbed the ladder and descended down into the tub, pulling the curtain behind me.

One problem with really big tubs is that they make other things look really small. Not exactly a way to start the day with confidence. The real problem, however, was that the entire tub was surrounded by mirrors that ran up to the ceiling. (Who lets Larry Flynt design a hotel room, anyway?) It's not even 5:30 AM, and I'm surrounded by walls reflecting my oversized, white derriere from every possible angle. (Great - there went my appetite.)

Here's the kicker. Despite my anguish, I realize now that there was actually nothing wrong with the room. It just depended on who was staying in it.

To wit: Some people like to spread out in a large abode. Many people travel for pleasure and happily plug in the coffee pot with no computer to worry about. And the TV? Well, maybe some guests are really tall. And the jacuzzi tub? I'm sure hundreds of people enjoyed that tub in a special way before I got into it. (Great - there went my appetite.)

The room was fine. It just wasn't particularly a good fit for me.

I often find a similar phenomenon when I talk to people about their goals. Many people have perfectly good goals with only one small catch. Their goals are "perfectly good" for someone else. Unfortunately, goal-oriented literature often focuses on the "how-to" of goal achievement when the real action takes place well before the pursuit. Proper goal-setting is key to ultimate success.

So in that spirit, I thought I'd offer a few suggestions in terms of finding the right fit when it comes to your goals:

Focus on internal goal sources. You don't ask other people to brush your teeth for you (usually), so why ask them to define your goals for you? This doesn't happen literally, but we often feel compelled to "keep up with the Joneses" or to choose goals we think others want us to have for ourselves. Rather than ask ourselves what we truly want out of life, we may accept those goals others project onto us or that we think will please them. When it comes to goals, you've got to look out for #1.

Align your goals with values. The best goals you can choose are a natural extension of what makes you so .. you! The things you value most in life are a great source of future goals. If you value freedom and adventure, pursuing a new career as a travel writer may be just the ticket. Work hard to recognize your values in life and select goals that are consistent with them.

Share your goals with those closest to you. No matter how well you think you know yourself, you could always use a second opinion. Don't bogart your goals - share them with trusted friends, family, and advisors. Ask them if you've picked the right goals based on what they know about you. You can benefit greatly from their independent inisight and observations.

Those are just a few quick tips to help make sure your goal pursuits lead you to greater success and happiness in life. Remember, Goldilocks, don't force fit yourself into goals that are too hot or too cold. Like a great hotel, if you choose goals that are just right, you can't go wrong.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to fire my travel agent.

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Plea of the Week

We're working up a special "Goals Gone Wild Gift Guide" and thought we'd ask you, the real experts, what you think should be in it. We're looking for THRIVE!-tastic gift ideas that are motivational, inspirational, and educational. Entertaining and ridiculous might just work too.

Send your ideas to contact@icanthrive.com, and let us know if you wish to be credited with your genius or remain anonymous.

Bonus! If you we use your idea you will receive a FREE KAED™ t-shirt!
(KAED = Kick Ass Every Day™. Think Carpe Diem with a little THRIVE! Attitude

Coaching Quickie: Fit Club

Check back next week for results!

Last Week's Results

Coaching Quickie: On the Road Again
How would you describe the path toward your current goal achievement?

(00%) Downhill all the way - I'm speeding to victory!
(25%) Flat as a board - I'm chugging along steadily.
(63%) Up and down - I have good days and bad ones, but I'm getting it done.
(13%) Uphill battle - I'm struggling to get ahead.

If you missed it, you can read last week's newsletter online here.