Halfway There: Midpoint Assessment

In the pursuit of my multi-year goal to run a half marathon in all 50 states, I took Alaska off the list recently by completing the Anchorage Skinny Raven Half Marathon. Alaska was the 25th state, half way to achieving my 50 states goal. It would be an understatement to say that I am goal-oriented. Setting goals gives my life direction, purpose, and motivation. It is said that personal growth requires going beyond the boundaries of one’s comfort zone. I’d say that growth happens through dedicated reflection. I am a great believer in the power of reflective practice. Self-reflection ensures alignment of aspirations and actions.

And what is a better point to do some soul searching than the halfway point?

Running in all 50 states takes a lot of time, energy, and money. It also takes a huge amount of planning.

So, why do I run?

I run because it’s hard. It builds mental and physical strength and endurance.

But why 50 states?

Running in all 50 states is a unique opportunity to see the country, interact with local communities, and create memories.

Whatever goal you pursue, having a clear understanding of your “WHY”, the reason behind why you’ve taken on such a challenge, can help you maintain consistent motivation, focus, and commitment.

When setting a goal, the focus is typically on the one big thing to be accomplished. But the truth is, the achievement of any goal is in the small consistent steps diligently taken once it’s launched. At the end of the day, goal-achievement is a nonlinear journey, and there’s no perfect formula how to go from point A to point B. However, there is an effective 4-step process to goal-setting:

1. Set and commit to a goal
2. Make a plan breaking the goal into actionable steps
3. Act on the plan taking consistent action
4. Track and evaluate progress

At any point, but especially at the midpoint, I like to take a look at my goal and evaluate the progress I have made looking not only at what I got done but also asking myself what I want going forward. It’s an opportunity to check-in and make adjustments if my needs, expectations and priorities have changed.

How you feel at the midpoint depends on your attitude – is the glass half empty or half full? Are you only halfway there, or are you already half way there? It is important to stop at the midway point to ask yourself whether you have accomplished about half of what you set out to do, and if you want to continue on this particular goal-pursuit journey.

Following the plan is the hardest part of the journey. While celebrating the wins to the midway point is important, it is critical to look at the things that fell by the wayside and the excuses made along the way. Analyze them to figure out what is really getting in the way in order to strategize powerful solutions that would drive tangible progress toward crossing the proverbial finish line. This is the time to think through the “why” (reasons you set the goal), the “what” (actions still needed toward success), and the “how” (success strategies.) Now, you have a choice to make: quit or dig deep and continue to the finish line, step-by-step. This is a testimony of how much you really want it. Your success hinges on your mind-over-matter resilience. You remind yourself that it is always the small consistent steps that lead to the completion of a big scary goal.

When you reaffirm your commitment, you set your mindset to success. At the midpoint, realistically, there is still a lot of milestones and actions as well as potential roadblocks and pain. But in my mind’s eye, I can imagine myself as accomplished and successful. I know in my gut I will make it. I feel confident and re-connect with that sense of purpose that led me to set this goal in the first place. I embrace the hard work, sweat, and tears as badges of honor. I appreciate the lessons they are teaching me.

I will concede that I have goal-obsession. I am driven by purpose. I’ve learned that in order to live my best life, I must be relentless in my pursuit of growth and expansion via disciplined and diligent goal-setting in my personal and professional life. There are no shortcuts. To live fully, effort must be exerted. To build the life I want, I must create the conditions for new opportunities. My interpretation of “right effort” is to do the things that will lead to progress and growth. It means paying attention to what is happening in the present moment and being intentional in taking action, making the investment, in building my future self today.

Wherever you are on your journey, I hope you look ahead and see possibilities. I encourage you to set new goals, or re-commit to old ones. Goals are the roadmap to clarify where you are going and whether you are progressing in the direction of the meaningful things you want to achieve. Remember to keep putting one foot in front of the other, especially when you encounter challenges, to continue to move forward. At its essence, the self-fulfillment journey is all about the accumulation of challenges, joys and memories. We are all shaped by the meaning we create from our experiences. As we do, we become.