Goals for 2011

OMGoodness.  Is it really 2011?

Well, I admit I am late to share my goals for 2011.  But I deliberately waited.

I am apprehensive.

I have never been in this situation before: I have no idea if I can go to a lot of out-of-town tournaments this year because I am my Mom's caretaker and she has had a bad last few months.  It puts a whole new spin on things for me.  I am not complaining - I love my Mom with all my heart and she comes first.  And I fully recognize I have been blessed with a great, exciting, wonderful, memorable, fulfilling pool career already in my life.  But it does change things for me in regard to what I used to do to compared to what I can plan to do.  So, it makes setting BIG goals challenging for me. 

I do love goals, though. I started to enjoy them even more after reading Dare to Win back in 1995 (authored by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen).  I have enjoyed my recent goals even more - they seem more tangible.  More importantly, I am seeing improvements in my game because the goals are more sensible and practical. 

I am not a believer of Resolutions.  I feel New Year Resolutions are broken all the time.  Goals on the other hand are very different, as you can see from the definition of Goal:  "The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed; an objective."  Versus Resolution: "A course of action determined or decided on."  To me, that is a HUGE difference.

The key with goals is to make them realistic.

I remember one year I had a goal to get Most Improved Player on a tour in the late 90s. Boy, I learned my lesson to set realistic goals after that! I had no control over that goal at all - someone else decided that "title" (and no, I did not win it, even though I came close). 

Another key for goals is to ensure you are specific about how to reach your goals. I don't always do this well, but as an example, if someone says, "my goal is to lose weight," the person will be more successful if they list specifically how to achieve that goal.

"Okay, get to your goals already!  Sheeesh."

Blogging::
I want to continue to strive for an average of 15 blog articles a month again (yes, I did this last year believe it or not - I know, that's A LOT of reading for you all (sorry)).  I'd also like to make some of them shorter to keep you interested and from daydreaming, lol, but I am not sure that part of the goal will be successful.

Practice:
I used to practice at least once a week.  I haven't practiced routinely since June and yet I still think I am playing okay (as far as I can tell in my leagues and weekly tournaments).  I haven't really had time to practice like I used to.  So, I don't think I will put this down as a goal this year to strive for.  If I happen to have a chance for quality practice, of course I will though.

Tournaments:
I am not sure I can attend a lot of out-of-town tournaments and I want to stay close to home anyway right now for several reasons.  However, I CAN plan to try and play in the weekly tournaments around town which have tough, top, male players in them.

Straight Pool:
Continue playing in my Straight Pool league!  Oh, how I love the challenges of my straight pool league.  :)

Videos:
I want to watch at least one video a month again this year. This was probably one of the most fruitful goals I set for myself in the last few years because I learned so much by watching videos.  I never put effort before into videos. But I now see not only advantages to watching videos but RESULTS. It's one of those "easy" things I didn't realize, even though it seems so obvious.  Duh!

Stay Down:
I am doing so much better with this! This is the single most important improvement in my game that I have noticed in the past six months.  But I still need reminders.  So my goal this year will be: to help my fundamentals I need to review often what helps me stay down:

• Take my time,
• Smooth stroke,
• Lock my eyes on the object ball last,
• Follow through,
• Don't jump up, and
• Review recent blogs about staying down. 

For $hits and Grins: Unrealistic Goals:

• Top ten on the OB Cues Tour.  Since I don't know if I can play in all the stops this year, I should not see this as a goal this year.
• Stop drinking during matches.  I enjoy a few drinks on a Friday night during my weekly tourney and sometimes even during my straight pool matches, and yet I am still doing okay in them.  But I bet I would do better if I didn't do this.
• Win a weekly tournament.  Dang those weekly tourneys are tough around here!
• Get more sleep.  Just can't seem to sleep anymore.  So, how can I set a goal to sleep?  lol.
• Practice straight pool. I am just not motivated if it's not a league match. I need an incentive ('something on the line,' so to speak) to practice straight pool.