How does it feel to accomplish your goal? Is there is a sense of pride, a feeling of relief, or are you left with a nagging, “Now what?”

I acknowledge that I struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and decided to make an effort to combat it this year. Cold weather, lack of sunlight, and arthritis in quite a few joints adds up to a season of pain when winter comes. If you knew that something difficult was coming, wouldn’t you want to prepare?

In a previous post, I talked about the effects of bad nutrition and lack of exercise. My holiday choices could easily have taken root and grown into a lazy 2021.

I set a goal of riding a mountain bike 400 kilometers in the month of January. Having no indoor trainer, all mileage would be done outside. I tried to make wise choices around the weather and family obligations but completing this felt like an anchor in my day.

I probably would have quit if it hadn’t been for my friend who was also doing the challenge. We would check in and push the other toward the finish line. Though he finished well before me, he continued to support. Do your daily associates support your goals?

Sometimes in the name of “friendship” one might propose that you let your goal die because they see you struggling. Is it better to suffer and prevail, growing in the process or to quit for claimed increase in quality of life?

To answer the above question we need to analyze both your goal and your friend:

Goal

If you haven’t heard of SMART goals before, take a few minutes to research the concept. It’s important to set a specific goal for yourself that you can actually attain and do so with measurable steps, in a specific time for a compelling reason. “I want to win a hotdog eating contest” is not an example of a SMART goal (or an intelligent one).

Are there lasting benefits to your goal? Small goals for personal pride are fine but rarely carry weight. Why do you want to accomplish this thing? Your motives also influence your commitment level.

Riding 400km could be considered small and prideful but the underlying motivation of strengthening my heart, combating mental illness, and rising above pain naturally, strengthened my resolve.

Accountability

In the case of this goal, I picked an accountability partner and friend who had a vested interest in both his and my completion of the task. Mutually shared desire for success greatly increases the likelihood of goal completion and the ease of obtaining it.

Setting a timeline, planning the steps, and establishing a checklist are important toward achieving the goal. However, humans are easily distracted and someone examining our progress helps keep us on track. You can find a myriad of excuses/reasons not to complete something but the weight of a friend’s one reason often offsets them all.

If you are easily able to walk away from your goal, was it worth setting in the first place?

Are you willing to sacrifice anything for your goal?

Who is able to support you in the completion of this endeavor?

I know that I recently posted about this topic but it’s important. We just crossed the threshold where most individuals have lost motivation for their New Years resolutions. Approximately 80% of resolutions fail by February.

RESULTS

I crashed two or three times this past month, bruised my tailbone, and spent a decent amount of time with sore muscles. Growing can be painful. I’m new to the sport of mountain biking and have a lot to learn. Despite the pain and challenges, I refuse to quit.

Rather than putting my life into a singular new year’s resolution, or long term goal, nebulously defined, and doomed to fail, I decided that 2021 will be structured with short term, attainable goals that have lasting impact. I want to live my life with intentionality, not watch it drift by as I exist passively.

Having a larger vision can give direction and make clear the short term goals. My 2021 goals will be driven by the vision for service God has given me.

Stare long and hard into the mirror and ask yourself, “What am I doing with my life? Am I on the right track? Who can help me get there and stay there?”

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Drew, Over and OUT!