My To Do List!

Everyone has them, but how well do people actually keep them?  Day-in and day-out, people have chores, tasks, and just things that have to get done.  Thus, the "to do" list comes into play and at the point in time, is the savior of your life.  But then.... You're tired, you hurt your leg, you didn't have your coffee, the peanut butter was on the left side of the bread instead of the right.... Something throws you off track giving you some excuse!

Some days just feel like a broken record.  A great to do list, feeling good about getting it done.  By the end of the day, one item scratched and 10 more items added, "Wait, what? How? (Most of my days and my actual working "to do" list at the office to the left!).  So the question is, how can you get past those broken record days?!

There are lots of escapes to gain the productivity needed.  Whether it be a simple song blasting in the headphones, to just doing something that takes you away from your to-do list for the moment so you can collect your thoughts and think of something else.  The long to-do lists should never scare anyway away.  Those that get scared away or burnt out are those that think too much into the list and not in their talents to solve the problems on their lists. 

So with that being said, my upcoming to-to list consists of the follow items, of which I have no fear of the workload ahead!

To Do List:

1) Get Fit and run 80 miles a week

2) Get into business school

3) Learn and taking Accounting to the next level

4) Have a 25% return on my stock portfolio within the next year

5) Get promoted at my current job come July annual review

6) Read more books

7) Blog more

8) Tumblr more

9) Learn something new everyday

10) Pay off loans

11) Play more basketball 

What's your to-do list look like?  How are you going to tackle it and get to where you want to be!?

First Resolution - Running

It has all started, my first resolution and the rekindling of my passion - RUNNING!  A few thoughts that are centered around my upcoming mileage program:

1) Physical condition - When you are fit, everything seems to just feel better.  From doing everyday tasks to sleeping well at night from all the hard work, and your everyday job.  When you work hard and see results, life is a lot more gratifying!

2) Competition - It's everywhere in all walks of life and I love it!  Knocking out a project at work, passing a hard test, and out kicking your competition with complete recklessness create highs that no one can match!  It's competition.... There is no fear, just get out and do it!

3) Early start to the beach bod!  Simple fact! When you're fit, running shorts look damn good!

Just a few thoughts on what drives me to run... Of course, there are many more!  Can't wait to really hit the trails!  I know my Brooks T7s are itching to do some racing in the spring! 

Back at it again....New Starts!

It's that time of year, where everyone sets personal goals and has high ambitions.  Some will make them and some won't.  This time of year happens to be a time that I love and hate.  I love it because it feels like a fresh start (back to square 1!)  I also hate it because, well, its the getting started thing that's the hardest part!  Waking up at 6:00 am to go for morning runs is less than ideal, but if it will get me that 8:50 3k steeplechase time I want, it's well worth it!  But, 6:00 am.....OUCH!

It may be painful at first, but to make it to the top is no easy feat (neither is blogging, which can be seen with my time line!)   Since today was my first day of training....I am leaving two sayings, simple and sweet to kick start those 2012 resolutions:

Eyes straight ahead....turning left!

 Take a look at my Brooks T 7 racers, brand new with a second place finish on them (and hopefully more strong finishes to come!).  Although they are flashy, good looking, sleek, or whatever adjective you want to use to describe them, they have a story behind them.

Out of all of the running shoes I have wore through my high mileage days, long and competitive seasons, my Brooks T7s are on a journey with me to spark a new fire with my passion for running (I would also like to point out my Adidas Supernovas are also on the same journey) along with the new interests I have discovered. 

These are the new shoes I am taking into that left turn on the track with my new love/hate relationship I have with my accounting classes, to spark that competitive fire to take names on the track, to make a change and difference in the world, and to work on that sweet 100 yard approach shot onto the 9th hole green.  So what type of shoes are you wearing now a days?  Everyone needs a new pair heading into that left turn on the track.  It's just a fact of life that one way or another, you will get knocked on your a**.  There are always going to be people, events, and just strange and bizarre things out there that just won't make sense, be completely unfair, and boil your blood (may all at once!).  It's just a matter of how you respond.  People give up too easily, lose tempers, and just get down and caught up in the moments.  People see flashy, clean shoes in the picture above, I see a hell-fire-and brimstone kick the last 200 meters, especially after all that this life has already thrown at me.  In degrading moments, when someone is pulling away on the track, when I am being treated unfairly in the real world, or just frustrated at all around me, I see hard work in my flashy kicks that's going to run down that scrub on the back stretch, perseverance in the face of doubt, and an object that will make a difference in the real world from all the unruliness around me.

From losing a part of me and my family to being told that my running days are physically over, once these slippers are on (physically and figuratively) it's all business and a nonstop train to where I want to be.  No one ever said making it was easy, if they did it's a bold face lie.  Patience, hard work, living, laughing, and loving are always going to pay off even in your darkest and most doubtful moments.  I have already seen it and my shoes hardly have any miles on them! 

Back at it...With a New Mindset

Since my introduction post of almost a year ago, there has not been much activity.  With that being said and of course the dates of publication as a clear sign of my devotion to something like this, I have failed miserably at my first attempt to BLOG.  However, this time is a new time for me and with that comes a new mindset.  I am still the same person, yet, I find my previous post of almost a year ago to be a lie about myself (or at least it was almost a year ago).  Back when I lost my identical twin brother, I not only lost a huge part of me, but I also lost a lot of ambition.  I also lost a passion of mine when I was told that I would never be allowed to run again being that I am genetically an identical twin.  I must say, that since my last post, the only true part about that post was how much my life had changed.  The sad part was, I had lost all of my ambition.  Up until now, things have started to get back on track.

The new premise for this blog is based off the ideas that I got from my friend, Jared Cambell (my brother's former teammate at The College of William and Mary) and a mentor of mine, Coach Shaun Jayachandran.  Both blogs are ones that inspire.  I find both of these ideas and blogs to be part of my personal healing process from my past experiences, tragedies, and accomplishments that I will always carry and for the future that has no certainty.

It's time to enjoy the smaller and finer things in life that are worth mentioning.  That sparks ambition!  

P.S. 

All ideas are welcome! Please feel free to comment on ANYTHING!

A little about me to start things off...

I have read a lot of blogs but never really created one of my own.  So many out there focus on all aspects of life that I find interesting in such a changing world.  So, I decided to try one out myself.  To be honest, I have no idea what I will be posting...so, to start things off, I will write about something easy...MYSELF!

My name is Matt Sagar and I currently reside in Alexandria, Va.  I live at home and work full time for a small government contractor in Old Town, Alexandria.  Needless to say, the job I am holding down now is...well...not the most exciting, to say the least.  I guess that's what I get for not taking any internships during my undergrad and focusing on solely becoming a Nike track and field 3k steeplechase star!  But hey...it's a job...and it allows me to still focus on BECOMING a Nike track and field 3k steeplechase star! 

I attended the Virginia Military Institute and just recently graduated in May 2010.  I have to say, my time at the mother I was a unique experience.  On the outside I was always complaining of the terrible life style, the isolation, the discipline, hard studies, and depleted social atmosphere compared to all the other colleges.  But it was an experience that I would not trade for the world, and quite frankly, I would do it all over again if I had the chance!  I majored in International Studies and Political Science with a minor is Spanish all while running NCAA Division I cross country and track.  With that being said, it is easy to figure out my college schedule and life style...nothing but miles and books (with the occasional alcoholic liability with the sub-par social atmosphere).  I graduated in May, 2010 and have to say, walking across that stage was one of the proudest moments of my life.  Not too many people carry or earn the big a** ring I wear around (pictured) and get to hang the abnormally large VMI degree on their wall.  But I do!  

Now, it's on to the real world!  The life after college is something that I am still getting used to.  No longer do I have to shine my shoes, roll and put up my bed in the morning, salute fake and incredibly arrogant officers.  Instead, I find the current life style I live to be pretty easy in this very difficult world we live in today.  However, that does not mean I have not experienced setbacks and heartbreak, especially with the recent loss in my family (Maybe I will get into detail about this, but right now, that's on the "classified" list I keep to myself).  In light of what has happened and with all that I have accomplished.  I am not complacent with my accomplishments thus far, I have a whole lot in store for myself with my high goals!  But, right now, I feel it is a good time for myself to relax and enjoy my accomplishments!

In my new blog, I intend to write about whatever comes to mind.  I will be writing about politics, sports, business, the stock market, TV shows, my workouts and efforts to be the best runner I can be, and maybe an emotion here and there I might have.  These are all fields I love to read about and follow on a daily basis, and now I get to share/comment on some!

All-in-all....Welcome to my life and into my head!  I hope you enjoy it!