[BarefootDawsy]

I got to thinking about what I might do for a challenge, and the more I thought about it, the more it dawned on me that I have been quite rudderless for the past few years, having managed to reach many of my life goals (yay me), with very little in front of me to look forward to. 

 

I guess this is a part of growing older, but it is quite unsettling. I'm not ready to start planning my retirement yet, but have really lost sight of what I want to achieve.

To help me get back into a goal-oriented mindset, I've decided to approach it like the nerd that I am. I decided to wrap a framework around it and plonk it down into the Fallout universe!

 

 

I've been here since the Rebellion started, and I only just realised that I've never had a Fallout-themed challenge, which is crazy since it's one of my favourite franchises. For anyone reading this who isn't familiar with it, Fallout is a post-apocalypse, RPG-style game that combines all the fun of a nuclear holocaust, with the nostalgia of pre-war music and style.

 

I drew inspiration from the Fallout SPECIAL system, which is used to track abilities in the game. Rather than use the stats like that, I've instead ascribed each letter to an area that I want to set goals for:

 

S - Social: I'm a full-on introvert, and need to force myself to spread out and develop relationships
P - Physical: I'm getting older and the margin for error regarding health is getting smaller. I need to be in good physical condition to avoid as many of the nastinesses of old age as I can . Current Goal: 50 Pushups/100 Squats per day
E - Environment: Everyone need a place where they feel comfortable! This goal is all about finding and/or creating a space that I want to be in (aka my house looks like a tip after 2+ years lockdown)
C - Career: I've been in the same job for a long time and am good at it, but is this enough? Have I become complacent? Where to from here?
I - Interests: Beyond just entertainment, I NEED a hobby. I tend to move from one passionate interest to another every 3-12 months, and I need a steady supply to keep me on my toes
A - Altruism: I used ot volunteer quite a bit, but it's been a while since I've given much back to the community. This needs to change
L - Love: Naw My family is the most important thing to me, and I want to work out ways to keep us all fit, happy, and healthy

 

 

So that's the basic framework, and I'm going to hang my challenge goals on it, which I'm hoping will help me focus on making SMART goals more easily. 

For this challenge, I'm going to start with the one I've neglected the most recently: Physical. 

 

I've already made a start during zero week (yeah, I deleted that thread), and will continue to bring my very basic stats up a little bit in anticipation of bigger and more interesting workouts down the track. I'll be focusing on 2 areas: Pushups, and Squats (see schedule below).  I really want to be able to knock out 50 pushups and 100 squats on a daily basis (eventually). Once I've managed to do that, it will be time to hit the pavement and re-earn my Scout Commander stripes!

 

As this challenge progresses, I'm going to start fleshing out some more specific goals for the other letters in the framework, and will fold them in as I go along.

 

THE CHALLENGE:

 

Pushups:

Benchmark: 3 x 5 pushups

Schedule:

• Every second day (odd)
• 5 weeks = 35 days = 17 sessions

Data:

Session 1: 3 x 5 - (benchmark, complete 24/03/22)

Session 2: 3 x 6 - complete 26/03/22

Session 3: 3 x 7 - complete 28/03/22

Session 4: 3 x 8

Session 5: 3 x 9

Session 6: 3 x 10

Session 7: 3 x 11

Session 8: 3 x 12

Session 9: 3 x 13

Session 10: 3 x 14

Session 11: 3 x 15

Session 12: 3 x 16

Session 13: 3 x 17

Session 14: 3 x 18

Session 15: 3 x 19

Session 16: 3 x 20

Session 17: 3 x 21

 

Total Pushups: 663 (Max 63/day)

 

Squats:

Benchmark: 3 x 20 (oh how the mighty have fallen)

Schedule:

• Every second day (even)
• 5 weeks = 35 days = 17 sessions

Data:

Session 1: 3 x 20 - (benchmark, complete 25/03/2022)
Session 2: 8 x 8 - complete 27/03/22 (modified)
Session 3: 6 x 11 - complete 29/03/22 (modified)
Session 4: 3 x 23
Session 5: 3 x 24
Session 6: 3 x 25
Session 7: 3 x 26
Session 8: 3 x 27
Session 9: 3 x 28
Session 10: 3 x 29
Session 11: 3 x 30
Session 12: 3 x 31
Session 13: 3 x 32
Session 14: 3 x 33
Session 15: 3 x 34
Session 16: 3 x 35
Session 17: 3 x 36

 

Total Squats: 1368 (Max 108/day)

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Following.

[BarefootDawsy]

Did my pushups this morning:

 

Session 4: 3 x 8 completed 30/03/2022

 

Also, I've started thinking about adding in a goal for me E (Environment) strategy. Basically, my house is a tip, and I think the best way to approach is it so systematically clear it out, one room at a time. I started doing this a couple of weekends ago, and the rooms I've done so far are still reasonably clutter-free. 

 

I'll probably set a quota for getting junk out and a schedule for getting rooms cleared out as I think that this will work. Watch this space.

 

In the meantime, I cleared off my desk, so at least I can have a decent space to work today

[BarefootDawsy]

Squat day today, and I'm over my cold, so it's back to full-strength again:

 

Session 4: 3 x 23 - completed 31/03/22

 

I've also got 2 bags of old clothes for donation sitting at my front door to go out. I think I'll make a regular habit of getting the junk out as it's proving extremely cathartic!

 

As for the I in special, I've been looking into teaching some online courses. There are a few decent platforms around these days, and I do a lot of training at work which might transfer nicely. Nothing wrong with a little passive income as well! We'll see how this goes.

[BarefootDawsy]

Yesterday was crazy busy from the moment I got up, so I didn't get a chance to do my pushups, so  I did them today:

 

Pushups

Session 4: 3 x 9 completed 02/04/2022

 

Squats

Session 4: 3 x 24 - completed 02/04/22

 

Yay weekend!

[BarefootDawsy]

Pushup day today and I cracked the 10 pushup mark. Happy with progress so far:

 

Pushups

 

Session 5: 3 x 10 completed 03/04/2022

 

Managed to get 3 more bags of junk out of the house yesterday. Garage is starting to look bigger already.

 

I spent some time contemplating my career and have decided to have a crack as cybersecurity. I have been interested in this field for quite a while but have never really delved much into the actual doing of it. There happened to be a Udemy sale this week so I struck while the iron was hot and enrolled in a course to see if I enjoy it. If I do then I'll start working to knock off a certification or two. Getting there!

 

[BarefootDawsy]

Squats

Session 5: 3 x 25 - completed 04/04/22

 

Happy Monday!

[BarefootDawsy]

Pushups

 

Session 6: 3 x 11 completed 05/04/2022

 

Also, knocked off the first section of my cybersecurity course. I've got the theory basics covered now, and am onto the practical part! 

 

I've been playing with my hobbies list a bit and have started getting back into writing. It's early days, but I've got a cools story in my head that I'm going to try to realise, so watch this space!

[BarefootDawsy]

Squats

Session 6: 3 x 26 - completed 06/04/22

 

Other projects are tracking well too. I've made progress on my book and my cybersecurity too. I did my first Capture the Flag hacking challenges and loved it! This may turn into a hobby as well

 

Settling bac k in for another 10 days of torrential rain. Fun times in sunny Australia.

[BarefootDawsy]

Been a crazy busy last couple of days, but I've managed to stay on target:

 

Pushups

Session 7: 3 x 12 completed 07/04/2022

Session 8: 3 x 13 completed 09/04/2022

 

 

Squats

Session 7: 3 x 27 - completed 08/04/22

 

Also, I've started down the path to certification for cybersecurity, and might even have the opportunity to pen test my own company when it's done. Yay!

[BarefootDawsy]

Pushups

Session 7: 3 x 14 completed 11/04/2022

 

Squats

Session 7: 3 x 28 - completed 10/04/22

 

 

[juliebarkley]

Still pushing up and squatting down? Your planned schedule looks a little intense towards the end.