It’s time (Orient watch giveaway).

by

This is the first post in a week long seriously People what am I doing with my life celebration of MizFit turning two.

People, I wont lie to you.

I started this post a million times.

It rhymed.

It was a pre-pre-Disney Princess Half Marathon ode (that one I actually kinda liked—-but decided to save).

It was a yammer about how MizFitOnline turning TWO sparked some reflection & re-prioritizing  for me (hello, the painfully shocking fact that the Tornado is growing up at an alarming pace & will enter kindergarten in fall 2011!).

It was a Dear Yoga Class I Always Spy On The Gym Schedule Yet Never Make Time For letter (that one was pretty spectacular as well. If by (fingerquote) spectacular (unFQ) you mean I blew off finishing it and decided to pop in a Rodney DVD which I do).

It was a post about how we are officially one month into the New Year & it’s time to revisit the mission statements/goals we so recently created (decided to save that one as well. This is your warning to anticipate a SIX MONTH check-in during July.).

What it all boiled down to, however, is that Im itching for change.

Nothing big.  Just a new endeavor which will push me to limits I didnt realize I had—and then some.

What it all boiled down to is that Im feeling the need to stretch myself and see how far I can go.

In what realm? Im not yet certain.

What it all boiled down to is this well-worn expression: what would you do if you knew you could not fail?

While trite and oft overused especially on Twitter it’s a phase that is entirely applicable to what Im feeling & one which Im tossing back at you on this Monday.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

And whatever that is—give it a shot.

It’s time.

(Yeah, once I’d gotten the it’s TIME mantrachant firmly lodged in my head I felt compelled to wrangle a freebie out of it for you. It’s the way I roll.)

I give you:

bem5l003b

Orient Watch Site  has *generously*  offered to send one reader the (stainless steel, water resistant) men’s watch pictured above.

(yes it would make a nice gift. yes if you are anything like I am you tend to prefer men’s watches over women’s anyway)

You can be entered to win for the lowlow price of a comment below.

You know, as long as you’re willing to share your answer to my tough query & join me in my one-woman IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE movement.

So lay it on me.

On us.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

Please to hit us all up in the comments.

USA only.

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Comments

  1. What would I do if I knew I could not fail?

    I don’t know.

    I really don’t. I think I’m still too scared to even acknowledge. Because the mental voice shuts me down before the thought can even start sometimes. Because the thought is too scary.

    I have changed so much in the past two years and I continue to change. Right now I don’t want change. I want to feel stable and secure and in the here and now. I crave routine.

    But routine invites comfort and comfort invites a rut. So I push myself.

    If I knew I could not fail, I would enter a marathon. I would write a book. I would start submitting articles as I promised myself I would do this year. I would take more photos and put together a recipe book as I go.

    (damn you for getting me to think even though I’m not eligible to win)

  2. Not countng things like feeding all of the world’s poor, putting money aside for my children’s college educations and such, I’d do three things:

    Finish my novel (edited & ready to send out) & send it to publishers/agents

    Illustrate the children’s stories I have written.

    Maintain my weight loss WITHOUT jumping on the scale several times a week to check on it.

  4. I share this before and needed the reminder.

    I WOULD GO TO SCHOOL FOR MY PhD.

    Today I am ordering the information online.

  5. I don’t think I would do anything differently, because as strange as it may seem, in failure I find success. I’ve changed course, outlook, direction, perspective – all as a result of failing. So I may not like failure but I don’t fear it and by eliminating the risk of it I may lose something that I otherwise might learn…

  6. I can’t win but knew my answer immediately: START A FAMILY.

    I’m terrified of raising a daughter.

  11. Be a writer. Like, finally finish the half-done stories on my laptop and in my head and learn what to do next. Oh, and introduce myself as a writer at cocktail parties.

  16. Girl I can’t believe it has been 2 years

    I recall sitting on your couch with the Tornado and you announcing to me you were thinking about closing the mommyblog and seguing back to fitness.

    Happy blogbirthday week.

    xo xo

  18. I’d start a blog. I’m just not convinced people wouldn’t get bored withing .3 seconds and leave 🙂

  20. Hubby always says “Don’t let nothin’ but fear hold ya back!” (Of course, that’s usually when I threaten to do him bodily harm, but whatevah.)

    Congratulations on your 2-year milestone! (blogstone just didn’t sound right….)

  21. I love that you are re-evaluating & pushing yourself always! It is a push to all of us to do the same & I am…. not as good at it as you are but I am doing it & you know Carla, that is hard for me!

    What would I do if I could not fail….. I did not read your comments so this may be here already…

    I WOULD DO EVERYTHING!!!!!!!! 🙂

    Happy Anniversary to you Carla & MizFit!!!!

  22. I would take my magical genie ‘bottle-of-can’t-fail’ and let it bypass me and hand it down to my daughter, because it would be such a thrill to see her do things she loved, knowing she couldn’t fail. 🙂

  24. Ok so I have been thinking about this all day long.

    When I first read this post, I thought to myself ‘marathon’. Then I thought ‘climb mt. kilamanjaro’.

    Then I looked out my window. ‘What the hellz bellz am I thinking..of course I can do all those things.’

    It’s really a matter of … DO I WANT TO? I think that we know that we CAN do most things. However, what I believe is that many times we say ‘we can’t do that’ because frankly we don’t want to.

    Then I thought abt. it more, actually while I was doing the seated row at the dodgy uni gym.

    ‘What am I honestly afraid of? What would I do if I knew that I wouldn’t fail?’

    Tell someone that they hurt me, or that I love them, walk around in a bathing suit, do a fitness challenge.

    Nope.

    I would stop dieting and trust myself. The one thing that I would do if I knew I wouldn’t fail..is to trust myself.

    Then I pumped more iron and with each grunt, I let a bit of that fear go.

  25. Ohhh how I love this question!!

    I would quit my day job. Write the stinkin’ cookbook already and support my family on my passions.

    Oh and maybe… just maybe… I’d have another little one. 🙂

  27. If I knew that I could not fail, I would move to either Northern California or the Northeast (Maine or Connecticut) and open a cozy bookstore.

  28. Just reading this question scared the **it out of me! Which is a great way of reminding me how much fear is holding me back.

    I would finish one of many novels or children’s books sitting in wait on my computer (add illustrating the children’s book) And/or be a successful artist.

  31. There are so many things but I guess the big one is that I’d quit my full time job and find something else that I really WANT to do. I’ve worked 30 years at a job I sort of fell into and have always wished I could “be” something else.

  32. I’d move someplace warm. Always worried about being too far away from family.

    Would love to work as a cruise director too, but only in my wildest dreams.

  34. If I KNEW I could not fail? Write a book.

    Love your idea of reviewing goals for the year. I did it last year. Might go ahead and do it monthly this year.

    h

    (p.s. I know! I’m totally in shock over the kindergarten thing.)

  35. Like Gemfit, I didn’t have an answer, at first, to the question you posed.

    I feel like that’s an answer that should have just rolled off my tongue.

    After thinking about it a bit, I would have to say that I’d do a non-sprint triathlon.

  37. If I could not fail – I’d get me a grant and cure me some cancer. Jeez, I’ve been at it in the lab for years…I should have it by now!
    Ah, if only it were that simple…

    I love this attitude. It’s what made me decide I could do grad school. To jsut jump in. I’ve jsut started and I am a bit wigged out…and yet, even with my life doing crazy things I am finding that yes, I can do it. Day by day. My Mum told me I could do it. She was right 🙂

  38. I would leave my vanilla life behind and move to Washington, DC – a city that energizes and inspires me every time I visit.

    Happy Anniversary! Wishing you many, many more to come!

  39. It seems amazing to me that your blog is only 2 years old given what an amazing community you’ve built!

    Big changes coming here… but there will be a Major Cranky Fitness Blog Announcement on wednesday and I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

    Happy 2nd birthday, and looking forward to hearing what you’re up to!

  40. Happy Blog Birthday!!! I’m grateful every day that I’ve found your blog, and more importantly YOU, my sistah from another (Jewish) mothah 🙂

    What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail? I’d be really athletic and stop being scared of hurting myself. I always manage to get injured just as i get “into” something, and I’d like to not do that.

  41. If you hit the bulleye every time, it just means you’re standing too close to the board. Stick your neck out, Carla…. that’s surely what it was put there for… take your chances and don’t worry for a second about failing. The real failure would be not making the attempt…

  42. Nice watch but don’t enter me in…I’m a ‘canuck’

    This ist a diificult question for me!

    Our little town has been hit hard with cancer. At this moment, we have 3 young(not older than 50) women battling various types of cancer and 1 women who just passed away Saturday night.

    In our town, we don’t get our mail delivered to our door, we go to the post office and when ever anyone dies, for some reason, their picture is posted on the window and we just took down 2 faces!

    I would have to say at this moment, I’d want to find a cure for every type!

  44. p.s. Happy Birthday!

    P.S.S. Did you know it took the makers of WD-40, 39 attempts to get it right…hence the name!

  46. Quit my job and make a living in the fitness industry. I would teach classes all day and personal train and I would love every stinkin minute of it!

  47. I’m kinda going to do it today:

    I’m hitting up a Personal Trainer job fair looking for a job.

    Though my long-term “can’t fail” dream is my own fitness studio (and turn-key gym- we are missing those around here)- the job is the first step to can’t fail.

    Here’s hoping I truly can’t fail.

  48. Honestly if I had no chance at failure I would combine my talents as a writer, computer geek, and entrepreneur, and focus all my efforts on tirelessly raising money for Autism awareness and research. I would love to start an organization that focuses on the ABILITY of these children and not the disability. I have a 3 year old who is the joy of my life that suffers from the affliction. If I knew I could do something that great without a risk, I’d start tomorrow.

  51. If I knew I wouldn’t fail, I would quit my job and write for a living. Screw the stability and security of the weekly paycheck with benefits and move on to writing and motivating others.

    But MizFit, I have a challenge for you….Join in on my Monday Morning Stretch each week to stretch yourself out of the comfort zone of your potential and I will pop in once a week and use your videos to stretch my body to its potential..

    Up for it????

  53. Doggone it! I can’t believe you asked that question this morning. It is what I have been wrestling with all weekend. Regarding making a very big change in my life. But I need to keep thinking about it. And your question helps me to focus my thinking. Thank you, Miz Carla!

  55. I have been competing in Sprint triathlons for the last few seasons and plan on completing two Olympic distance tris this coming season. I have run 8 marathons and 9 half marathons. What I would do if I knew I would not fail? I would compete in the full Ironman triathlon-2.4 mile swim, 120 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run…I know that a half ironman is definitely in my future, but as for the full, well, I’ve always said “no way.” I believe this is what I would do if I knew for certain I could complete it and not drop dead at the finish line!!@!!

  56. I would move out of my parents’ house, move to Asia to live with my boyfriend, and start a life there with him. As of right now, I am still in grad school and don’t think I can find a good job in Asia (hello language barrier?) where he is. We obviously need to make money to live, so for now things aren’t working out so well and we’re still 9000 miles apart. If I couldn’t fail, that’s what I would do.

  58. If I knew I could not fail, I would get donations from companies all over the world then take abused and “at risk” youths of all ages on hiking and wilderness adventures. I would get them involved in the outdoors and give them “ownership” of the world they live in. So many of them feel out of control and that they have no control over what happens to them. I’d give them goals and a love for the outdoors and teach them that they are in control of their own destinies. I would hope to touch their lives and in turn they would share with their peers the knowledge and love they gained. A “pass it forward” thing.

  59. I would do everything the same, except not worry about failing! The only thing I can think of is buy a lotto ticket more often 😉 Or, some other money scheme. For the most part, I try the things I want to try and don’t those I have no desire to do. So, I don’t know that I’d do anything differently.

  60. If I could not fail, I would find the cure for narcolepsy (my husband has this), but since I’m not even in the medical field, I guess I would try to get a book published.

  65. Well, I’m actually doing one of my things…running, and training for a couple of 5K’s – one is in 25 days (hold me!)! So that is new and scary for me but I’m actually doing it.

    The other is write a book. My story. I need to stop thinking about it and start doing it.

  66. I would actually do the art I think about. It is rattleing around in my head. And I just don’t.

    I am actually losing weight. I am actually training for a 5K with my dd.

    So, why can’t I?

    Happy Anniversary!

  71. I would try out for a role in a play in a local theater group. I love acting, and would really enjoy that creative outlet. On a more sane and realistic note, I’d love to open a pie shop or a children’s clothing shop. Ah it is fun dreaming!

  73. If I knew I could not fail, I would grow up to be a neurodevelopmentalist and a writer. I also have aspirations of someday having enough money to be a philanthropist.

  74. How I wish you hadn’t erased all the alternate beginnings to this post! I would love to hear all your thoughts on all of the above! Will you tell us more about the Big Change (and no I dno’t mean menopause)?
    What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail? I’m afraid my mind is too practical to think like that. I honestly can’t answer the question because failure is always an option. But then I like failure – I’ve learned my best lessons (and found my greatest strengths) through failure. Does that make me weird??

  75. I decide it was ‘time’ before now. Does that count?

    I already embarked on my dreams. I have not reached them yet, but I’m on the road. I find that just as thrilling and exciting.

    One step at a time, I get closer and closer. Just like in getting healthier. I conquer one thing at a time and lay the foundation.

    I hope everyone will find the courage to fill their lives with their passions. It’s amazing what it does for ya. 🙂

  77. There are so many wonderful suggestions and ideas by all these people. (do not enter me for the watch. I don’t want one. Thanks anyway). It’s really an interesting topic to think about though.

    I might become a famous chef. Or write my book and sell millions, or discover a cure for cancer.

  78. happy blogaversary (?)!

    what would i do if i knew i could not fail?

    i would say a marathon, but i know i’ll be able to do that someday.

    i would say an ironman, but same as above.

    so, i’ll say apply for kona (im world championships) because the odds of getting in normally are astronomical. 😉

  79. Happy second blog birthday! Love the Miz. 😉

    I’m still figuring that out. I’m conquering the full marathon this year. I’m already thinking about what’s next after that, but I’m finding out that with the proper training, I can do anything. The job stuff has gotten better and if things work out the way they’re looking to, I might actually fulfill a dream there in the next few years.

    I have, just like a lot of those commenters above me, the passion to write and be published, but I’m thinking it’s just like the running. If I want to do it, I need to put in the time and effort, and I’m just not there right now. But I will be – and I am not afraid of failing, I know if I make it a priority and really dedicate myself to it, like my running (or previously my job) or whatever is my focusfocusfocus, I’ll rock it out of the park.

    I guess my one wish would be a BUNCH of money dumped on me so I could make the most of my time away from work. Long weekends in Costa Rica, vacations in Paris, France instead of Paris, Texas, y’know? I need to find some way to incorporate travel for me and Zliten into something that also makes me money…hmmm…

    And btw, completely unrelated but I thought of you: http://www.runningskirts.com/princess-skirts.html

  82. I would freefall from a cliff with nothing more than a parachute! I suppose running a marathon is a close 2nd place on that one, but I know that as I improve my fitness, I’ll be able to do it for real!

  83. If I knew I couldn’t fail I would get pregnant and have a baby instead of adopting. So many medical factors make it hard for this to happen so I’ve decided on adoption. But if I knew it would be safe for us all and I could stay healthy I would try and get pregnant.

  85. Thanks so much for the opportunity! I’d become a Chef and work in a fancy Las Vegas restaurant 🙂

  87. I’ve always been afraid of group exercise classes. I know it seems silly, but I would love to sign up for a kickboxing class!

  88. If I couldn’t fail I would run- run- run, ask nice/cute guys out on dates instead of hoping they would ask me, get a dog, learn how to play piano and swim, lose weight and become a master fantasy illustrator. Nothing too out there..

  89. I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

    Lucy

    http://dataentryjob-s.com

  90. If I couldn’t fail…

    I wouldn’t say “no” to new things because I was afraid.
    I would push myself harder and more often than I ever have before.
    I would be myself more often.
    And more importantly…
    I would never think “I can’t.”

  93. Can I just say how much I love that you ask these questions of me? OK, of all of us, but somehow I felt this one was personal. I loved the question this morning because as usual, I’m juggling all sorts of I wannas in my head but when I posed myself your question, one stood out: I would start a publishing company that specialized in fitness-themed books for children. There I said it–that makes me happier than winning a watch. Happy blog birthday!

  95. I would do several things. My first would be to run a 10k marathon with my daughter. I have just accomplished running 1 mile w/o stopping last week..so I do have a while to go. My daughter is only 11, but loves to run. My goal was to get to a mile so I could join her on her hobby.
    My second would be to design and build my dream home. I would be the contractor, archetc, designer, etc.. I would want people to come over and I could say “yes I built that ___ there because I felt it would ___”
    just so you know i know nothing about houses except it causes a lot of stress in a marriage! I am a teacher.
    One last thing would be to know in my heart there would be no chance of ever going back to my drinking days and I could sponser more people that would stick with the program. Right now I have 9 months and still and will always only have that 1 day I didn’t drink, but I wish I could say “Yep that will defianatly 100% positive never happen again!” and KNOW IT!! But for today, I have 24 hours! (and 9 months behind me!!!YEAH)

  96. That is actually an easy one. What would I do if knew I couldn’t fail? Ride the Tour de France of course. that to me would have to be the ultimate feat of strength and fitness. Guys who have trained their whole lives for it don’t make it through many times. I watch every year thinking of what an accomplishment racing into Paris is for those guys. They are truly the strong men of the sports world.

  97. What a scary question! It’s almost scary to dream like that, because then you need to answer the hard questions about WHY you’re not doing it.

    If i knew that I could not fail, I would go back to school for a new carer, train for (and run!) a marathon, and become a group fitness instructor 🙂

  98. Happy 2nd birthday!

    If I knew (without a doubt) that I would NOT fail I would go back to school – I am so afraid of failing at it that I can’t even make myself check it out!

  99. Happy Bday Miz’s Blog!!

    I would open a very sweet, very small boutique with lots of gifty type merchandise. I would sell cute trendy jewelry right alongside crafty homemade wares. And I would spend my time sitting behind the cash register knitting whilst my customers milled about oohing and ahhing at all my finery.

    Yes, if I knew it would be a success, that’s what I would do.

  100. This is an excellent post, and a great question. Oprah asked something like this several years ago, and I swear it kicked me into gear. Because my answer (to the television screen) was immediately “I’d be a novelist.” And her next question (after her long dramatic pause so everyone could think of their answer) was “Then why aren’t you?”

    I couldn’t think of a very good reason. So I put myself into gear. I’m five years into the journey — taking tons of classes, reading tons of how-to’s, writing like mad, and last week started to submit to agents! It’s taking me years, but I’ve never been so happy. And I still have no guarantee that I won’t fail, but the process is so much fun that I sort of don’t care anymore. : )

  101. I would quit my desk job, and take up something that got me outdoors. Trail guide? Adventure vacation guide?

    I dunno, but something in the sunshine and unchained to a desk!

  104. Happy blog birthday!

    If I knew I couldn’t fail, I’d apply to a particular grad school and move heaven and earth to go there (not to switch careers exactly–but to take it to the next level).

  105. If I could not fail, I would quit my day job now and throw myself full-time into running my business. I wouldn’t worry about how we were going to make ends meet with my husband laid-off and my predictable income gone. Baby steps for now, but that’s what I’d do!

  107. Learn as many languages as I can, travel the world and make a documentary about the growing split between poverty in third world countries and first world countries like our own. And how the poverty exists in first world countries but we often choose to overlook it.

    Educate all the children in the world, not just in math, sciences, language, and arts, but in equanimity, love and compassion.

  109. I think my answer is the same or similar to the last time you asked this question…

    I think I want to open a school for teenagers – sort of like a camp – where they can learn the needed classes (math, science, english) but also get nutrition, real physical education, esteem, etc… I have big ideas!

  113. I would do a lot of things, but what’s standing out to me right now is:

    I would set out to save all the stray cats in America, providing homes or at least food and shelter, and working to implement Trap Neuter Return in cities all over. I have a soft spot for stray cats and would love to help end their suffering!

    Great topic! Thanks for the chance to win!

  114. I think I already did this back in 1997 when I finally took control of my life.

    And then again in 2007 when I took responsibility for the choices I was making and began making wiser choices healthwise.

  115. I’d finally take more risks at the gym. There’s so stuff that’s so intimidating to me. That’s the first thing that popped into my head!

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