My relationship with pull-ups - setting a goal!

I hate pull-ups! Pull-ups are my current weakness!

I was thinking about my relationship with pull-ups the other morning as I was getting ready for the gym. When I began CrossFit I was at an affiliate that did "jumping" pull-ups, and for me, who was out of shape and had never really attempted a pull-up, that was great....for awhile. However, I soon realized that the jumping pull-up was doing nothing to prepare me for a "real" pull-up. 

When I moved to CrossFit Victorious, Kelley, my trainer said, "um, no! We don't do jumping pull-ups, get on a band." ... A BAND?!?!? I was terrified of the band - I don't know why, it just scared me...until I tried it. The nice thick green band! It made pull-ups kinda fun, my chin was getting over the bar - I felt good....until, I was told to move to a lighter band. :( I liked my green band. 

I moved to a blue and red combined and it was, okay....then to a blue...not too bad... Recently however, I have been for some reason avoiding/neglecting to practice my pull-ups during warm-up and skill time, and feel I have developed this "hatred" for them. As bad as I want to get a kipping pull-up, a REAL one without a band, I just can't seem to mentally make myself work for it. 

Isn't it FANTASTIC how life sometimes makes you face the things you are avoiding the most? The same morning I was thinking about my hatred for pull-ups and trying to convince myself that I need to start working on them and set a goal, I walked in the gym and saw this: 

YAY!! Pull-ups....

Not only were they in our skill work, but I also saw this:

MORE Pull-ups!

I had to laugh because "Helen" used to be my least favorite girl WOD, not because of the pull-ups but because of the running. I used to hate running! Now, I hate pull-ups! I thought about that....that I USED to hate running, until, I MADE myself run more. Sooooo, I guess that means I have to MAKE myself do more pull-ups?? *sigh*

Although I have SAID a kipping pull-up is my goal (everyone "says" it's their goal), I have not really SET it as a goal, I have not established a timeline or a plan to achieve it. A goal cannot be reached if it is not really set. 

So - here it is! Here is my goal: I want to get a kipping pull-up by the end of August (if I get it sooner - GREAT)
It's a simple goal, but it's a goal. 

How am I going to acheive that goal?

PRACTICE - stop avoiding the pull-up bar

NUTRITION - lose a little weight so there's less to pull-up. :)

PRACTICE some more!
POSITIVE ATTITUDE - stop saying I "hate pull-ups," I don't really hate pull-ups, they are just an area of weakness (and I hate feeling weak)..but I LOVE that I am in an environment that allows me the opportunity to work on strengthening my weaknesses.

What are your goals?
What are you avoiding?
What are you going to start doing to reach your goals?