It's a Long Mountain, Climb It

The good and bad news of goal setting. And I get it, I’m talking a lot about goals. Goal setting. Reflection. It’s just where my head is at this time of year.

Realizing that I have so far to go, which is kind of depressing. That the journey is so far. The question that enters is “Why bother”. Why does it even matter? Why should I even start if I have so far to go?

That’s the sad part of it. That there is a lot of space to go to where I want to be, especially monetarily. It gets kind of depressing.

Here’s the flip side. What else am I going to do? What else am I going to do? This question is the key to everything. Because if I’m not going to get there today, but I’m on the right path. I’m on the right trajectory. I’m marching the right direction.

Honestly that’s all there is to it. Sure, you can be down some days. Sure it sucks looking up the mountain and being like I gotta climb that thing. Then thinking about my running and how many mountains I’ve climbed, it’s just one foot in front of the other. One after the next.

When you do just that. What you can each day. When you do what’s on your list every day and power through to the next, you can’t lose. After you finish the list, you just have to not screw it up so that you can get up and complete the list again the next day.

That is all there is to it. One foot in front of the other. One day after the next. Climbing the mountain.

Writing this makes me feel better. Because as far as I have to go. As much as I have to climb. As much as things aren’t where I want them to be, I know where the finish line is. I know the goal. I don’t know how long it will take me to get there, but I’ll get there.

Relating this to running and my endurance races puts something a little more tangible to this in my mind. Where during the race, I might feel like shit. Absolutely terrible. Yet, I know, if I just keep moving, if I just keep going and do what I need to do then I’ll make it. Sticking to the game plan and staying on my nutrition and finding something to occupy my mind. It’s just what I need to keep going.

Running, endurance sport, business. It is all a mind game more than anything. That’s all there is to it. It’s all between your ears. The better you can be about keeping your own mind on track, the better. Because that’s all there is to it. Stay on track, in the game and even if you have a long way to go just keep moving.

Honestly, it’s easier said than done, but it’s what it takes. Today, right now, this is as much a reminder to myself as anything. Just keep going.