| A career as a Fire Fighter is the most rewarding | | | | a burning, driving reason. If my reason is to simply |
| and gratifying career on earth. I'm a little partial; | | | | "look" better, this would not give the motivation |
| I've been a Fire Fighter for 19 years and have | | | | to succeed. However, if my reason is to; "Enable |
| loved every minute of it. A career as a Fire | | | | me to give my best on the fire ground for my |
| Fighter is one of the few careers that you | | | | fellow firefighters and the community." Well this |
| actually look forward to going to work in the | | | | reason will surly motivate me! |
| morning. | | | | Second, build smaller goals that always are in line |
| The pursuit of becoming a firefighter is challenging, | | | | with the primary goals and evaluated them often. |
| competitive and at times frustrating. Don't get | | | | You will notice for example one goal I had was to |
| discouraged, you can and will be a successful - if | | | | meet with the PEER fitness Instructor. Once this |
| you truly want it. This is not a career choice that | | | | is accomplished I can mark it completed and then |
| you sort of want, or kind of want - you have to | | | | add goals from want I learned from meeting this |
| really want it. The competition is tough, but the | | | | goal. |
| people who put in their heart, soul and hours of | | | | I did accomplish my goal of getting back into top |
| preparation are the ones who come out on top. | | | | shape. Through completing this goal I also |
| To truly be successful you must have a plan. No | | | | accomplished other goals in my fitness and health. |
| team can win without a plan, a business cannot | | | | My process of goal setting has served me well, |
| succeed with out a plan, and no individual can | | | | and will continue to serve well. |
| reach his or hers dreams with out a plan. | | | | "Dare to aim high" |
| Goals are the backbone of our life plan. You must | | | | I like to set weekly and monthly goals and place |
| focus on what your wants and desires are, make | | | | them in my Day-timer. I am firm believer of |
| a decision to change, and take action. You must | | | | some type of daily planner. I place my daily action |
| keep trying and changing to have success. | | | | lists, as well as short and long term goals into my |
| Goals must be well defined, written, have time | | | | day planner so they are always inform of me and |
| lines, be written in a personal format and must | | | | reminding me. Through the use of my day planner |
| have reason. | | | | I can track my progress and stay focused. |
| Any area in your life can be driven beyond your | | | | Again let's look at our Fitness goal: |
| dreams through goal setting and determination. | | | | Some of my weekly goals maybe: |
| There are several killers of success. The number | | | | · Join a health club |
| one killer is procrastination. All of us find that we | | | | · Hire a personal trainer |
| tend to procrastinate when things get | | | | · Build a workout schedule |
| uncomfortable. | | | | Now on my daily action list I would put: |
| To accomplish any goal in life we must conquer | | | | · Run 30 minutes daily |
| procrastination. We must take daily action. | | | | · Track daily food intake |
| Right now I want you to write down six items | | | | · Read one fitness article daily. |
| that you have put off completing. Maybe it's a | | | | · Workout 5 days a week. |
| work or school project. Maybe it's a phone call to | | | | Get the idea, simple, but effective. Goals and daily |
| a client. Maybe it's something as simple as mowing | | | | actions are driving us to our primary goal of |
| the lawn. | | | | getting into top shape. |
| Jot down six items that you have put off: | | | | So you maybe asking how this applies to quest to |
| Next, I want you to act on two of these items | | | | becoming a career firefighter? Well, pretty much |
| right now. Make that phone call, write that paper, | | | | everything! The pursuit of a Fire Service Career is |
| and yes you need to get that lawn mowed. | | | | demanding, competitive. You need to place |
| DO IT NOW! | | | | yourself in the top of pack by giving everything |
| Don't go on until these two items are completed. | | | | you can and being best candidate. |
| If you can't complete the task today at least do | | | | I believe in accomplishing something new toward |
| something to move towards its completion. | | | | my goals everyday. I continually review my short |
| "Decisions without actions are worthless." | | | | term goals and build on them during my weekly |
| Here is any example of some goal setting I did | | | | review of my goals. |
| after I moved to a busy station after a few | | | | An example of this might be adding 5 minutes a |
| years of the "easy life" at a slow station: | | | | week to my daily run. |
| After a few busy nights and some working fires I | | | | The key to success on truly anything is: |
| realized that I would need to make some major | | | | 1. Daily action toward your goal |
| changes in my physical health! And I needed to do | | | | 2. Evaluate your progress - feedback. |
| it fast. The thought of not being able to perform | | | | 3. Change our ways |
| and slowing the team down was too much for | | | | Action -If your daily goal is accomplished it will |
| me to bear. I've always taken great pride in being | | | | keep you moving toward your primary goal. All |
| on top of the game in the area of firefighting. | | | | actions create a reaction. All progress, however |
| After all I'm to be part of the solution, not the | | | | small, guarantees success. |
| problem! | | | | Evaluate progress - I like to call it feedback. This |
| I set a goal to get back into top shape in 3 | | | | is an important step in the progress. We must |
| months. I set daily action lists, as well as weekly | | | | assure or actions are moving us toward our goal. |
| and monthly goals. I had the support of a young | | | | Feedback from weekly and monthly reviews will |
| aggressive crew, and a drive to serve at the | | | | help us to stay on track. Remember that a ship |
| highest level possible. | | | | or a plane never stays on course without |
| ¨ Primary Goal | | | | constant adjustments make from feedback. We |
| Get into top shape in 3 months. | | | | must do the same to also stay on course with |
| ¨ Daily and weekly goals | | | | our goals. |
| 1. Workout at least 5 days per week | | | | Change our ways - In order to reach your |
| 2. Meet with the Department PEER fitness | | | | dreams there needs to be a change in what we |
| instructors to design a better work and nutrition | | | | are doing now. Sometimes we may view this as |
| plan | | | | sacrifice. We need to change our life in little ways |
| 3. Increase running distance to 3 miles per day | | | | to change our life as it is now! |
| 4. Eat healthier | | | | Our goal of becoming a Career Firefighter requires |
| 5. Enlist a workout partner to keep me motivated. | | | | planning, action and sacrifice. My completing daily |
| This is a short list of some of the short range | | | | and weekly tasks the guaranteed outcome is |
| and long range goals I set for myself. | | | | going to be success. |
| Realize that two things must happen to reach my | | | | Nothing is free. But everything is possible. Set |
| goal to get back into "fighting shape", or any goal: | | | | your mind to a dream and it will make it so. |
| First, define your reason for the goal. It must be | | | | Live tomorrow - today! |