TALKING TO MYSELF

Often talking to yourself is considered crazy. When I hear the phrase, I often picture a loud homeless man on the street (drunk or high) going on and on with himself about something. Often it is loud and angry.

This morning I found myself caught by another driver as I was talking to myself in the car. Ooooops.

To be fair, it's a long 35+ mile drive from home to school, and I lose WAMU about 5 miles before I arrive on campus. I often start up conversations with myself in the car. Or I reherse presentations. Or, lately, I've been rehersing difficult conversations I need to have with person's of authority (nothing like having to tell the head of your department about your frustrations and need to make changes in your course of study - more on this in the coming weeks as several difficult conversations still need to take place).

This morning I was rehersing what I would say if I was at an interview for the job of my dreams.

Seriously, I'm ready to be done with the whole student thing. I'm ready to take steps towards getting a job that I really want. I think I know what type of job that is. I'm starting to get excited when I think about the fact that I may soon be qualified to get said job. I'm ready for the next chapter in my professional life.

I've spent a lot of time constructing goals for 2010 (yes, I still need to post them). Most of these goals, however, are related to my athletic and personal life. They're goals related to races I want to run, books I want to read, places I want to go with K, etc... I've spent VERY little time thinking about goals related to school and my professional dreams.

Talking through my dream job interview this morning with myself made me realize that this needs to change. I need to reprioritize my school work, get on top of my dissertation research and make a timeline to get finished. I also need to do some networking and gain more experience related to the type of job I'd like to get when I am finished.

So what has all this talking to myself taught me:

1. I need goals related to school.
2. I do have a picture in my mind of what my professional life after school looks like.
3. I need to make plans so I can get this job of my dreams.
4. I need to think of myself as a well-rounded mom, wife, student, athlete (if I could do the student-athlete thing HARD CORE in college, I can figure a way out to do it as an adult with loads more responsibility, right?).

What I need to do:

Put all of my goals on paper. And share those goals with D, my friends, and the blogosphere. It scares me to put my goals out there, because if I don't achieve them I feel like I will be a failure in your eyes. But I also know that I need some accountability. I need encouragement. I need to be open and honest with everyone so that you will understand where I'm at, where I'm going and why. And I want to celebrate achieving my goals with you!!

Me and myself will be talking on the way how about S.M.A.R.T goals.

Goal #1: have goals posted on blog before the weekend is over.