Balance key to goal accomplishment Published July 21, 2015 By Capt. Nicholas Romano CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN AIR FORCE STATION, Colo. -- Being a member of the world's greatest Air Force has taught me that we are always striving to improve ourselves: promotion, fitness, awards, decorations, education, assignments, deployments, and more. We have all attained or strived to attain the things I've listed and they are all great things to accomplish. These ideas all start in ones' mind with the greatest intent, an intent that burns with a desire to improve oneself and be happier. I have heard plenty of stories regarding an idea and how it made a great difference in someone's life. I've also heard stories of people who focused excessively on one thing for so long that they lost other things of equal importance. With all of these accomplishments also comes a need to balance the effort as well as the intent to persevere. Typical excessive behavior involves drinking, smoking, playing video games, or watching too much TV, and everyone knows that doing too much of those things is usually a bad thing. What many people fail to realize is too much focus on even a good thing can also be detrimental. We all know staying hydrated is important, but even water is a bad thing if you drink too much of it. You may be trying to get in better shape so you spend more hours than necessary in the gym making you tired. Working and volunteering an excessive amount to make your next quarterly package better can increase stress and keep you away from other important things like family. Remember to balance out your time and effort with other priorities. What is balance? Balance is a relative term that can describe a force focusing on one point to ensure harmony throughout itself. It can also mean maintaining a state in which several opposing forces of equal strength or importance can coexist to maintain stability. If you're serving in the Air Force then you probably fall under the second definition and will most likely be required to distribute your time and efforts between several priorities. If you feel yourself spending too much time on something, remember that moderation and portion control (for all the fitness junkies out there) is crucial. It ensures your time and effort is balanced without neglecting anything that is important to you and the Air Force.