Reflections on Achieving Goals in 2021

As I woke up in the dark hours before sunlight on the big day, it was extremely cold and windy. I have to admit I was nervous, but I knew that I had prepared. I had thought through what I needed to have with me; I knew where I had to be and when; and, I was ready for a situation in which I had never been before. The Charlotte Half Marathon of 2019 left me with a few perspectives that I have been thinking through as we begin 2021:

First: You must have a goal.

You have to know what you’re trying to accomplish, both aspirationally and with specificity. In my case, I set a goal to run a half marathon for the first time ever. The goal was just simply to finish. (I had rarely run more than 5 miles in my life.) I defined the goal and picked a specific date to have it done. As one of my closest friends says, knowing what you want is normally the hardest part. You have to have a goal, with a timeline and commitment.

Second: You should communicate your goal to people who will provide encouragement and accountability.

Commitments are very easy to make, but can be hard to keep. Communicating goals to your friends, colleagues, and family enhances your personal resolve, because you are committing yourself not only to yourself, but also to others. Ultimate accountability is yours and yours alone, but life (and goals in life) are so much more attainable and fulfilling if you involve others. They can provide advice, cheer for you, check in on progress and maybe even help you achieve your goal.

Third: You have to realize that you’re running your own race.

As you are running, all the people around you have set their own goals and are running their own race. Only you know your goal and what success looks like for you. As others see you running, they just see you only in that moment. They do not know what it took to get you there or what your goals are for the finish. They may even be running a different race that is a shorter or longer course, but they are positioned beside you for the moment. They’re really neither pulling for you or against you, you’re just a part of each other’s race.

Fourth: Set new goals along the way.

When I started running, my only goal had been to finish. It was simple and specific. As I progressed in the race, I got a sense for how I was feeling and what was occurring around me. I reset for myself what success looked like. I raised the bar with a stretch goal. There was a pace setting sign for a specific major milestone time just ahead of me. Once I passed that sign, I resolved to not let that definitive milestone pass me again and thus set a new goal.

Finally: – As an African proverb counsels, “If you want to go fast, go alone…but if you want to go far, go with others.”

There will be fans along the way who may or may not know you personally, but they can still boost your morale. Even more impactful are mentors and friends who are there for you at key moments. Just being there matters—especially if they show up at multiple major points along the course. The greatest advantage, though, is to have a friend (or multiple friends!) running along with you. If they are with you, they know your goal and can be part of that great victory when you attain it. They can feel the pain and the emotion along the way. They will share the story.

I personally don’t plan to run a marathon or even another half marathon. Those are great goals for someone else; my goal was to do it once. As I start planning for 2021 (and the rest of my career), my objective at this inflection point is to leverage these observations to help me contribute at a higher level, and to be an even better teammate. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we are resilient and that we can always be better.

So, to recap…

·      Set big audacious goals for 2021.  

·      Communicate your goals to those around you.

·      Always run your own race.

·      Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself with a few stretch goals and new goals along the way.

·      Achieve with friends.

 Don’t just do well…Do Good! Be Better in 2021!