I can’t believe that this year is almost over and that 2016 is quickly coming to an end.
There’s 66 days left in the year.
That means we’ve had 298 days to do whatever it is we planned to do this year.
Here’s a question to think about and consider as we slowly close out 2016.
The question is…
Are you in a better, same, or worse place than you were at the beginning of the year?
By place I mean physically… and mentally as well for that matter.
Did you have fitness goals for yourself at the beginning of the year?
Whether it was to lose weight, lean up, exercise consistently, get back into running or hiking, get down to a certain clothing size, eat healthier, or something else.
If you did establish fitness goals at the beginning of the year, what were they and how well did you do at staying true to those goals and achieving them?
Non-Judgement Zone
I’m not asking to find out if you dropped the ball and give you a hard time about it either.
You’re human, I’m human.
We’re going to drop the ball from time to time, sometimes more than we care to admit.
I know that’s certainly been the case for me plenty of times.
I’m asking because as we close out the year, I think it’s important that we ask ourselves if we’re in a better place now than we were at the start of the year.
Better place in terms of how we feel about ourselves; more confidence, energy, fulfillment, sense of aliveness, motivation, self worth.
Assuming of course these are important to you.
They’re definitely important to me and chances are, they’re important to you as well.
Whatever goals we set out to achieve at the beginning of the year, it’s never about the goal.
It’s Never About The Goal
It’s not the goal we’re after, it’s about how we’ll feel by achieving the goal.
If my goal at the beginning of the year was to run a marathon, it’s not the marathon, the free shirt, or medal they give out that I’m after.
It’s the feeling of accomplishment that I want.
Accomplishment, success, confidence, aliveness, pride, worthiness, and more.
That’s what I’m after, that’s what I want.
If I knew I wouldn’t experience any of these these feelings after completing a marathon, I’d have no desire to ever run a marathon.
It’s not the race, the finish line, the medal… it’s how we feel afterwards.
If the goal at the beginning of the year was to lose 20 pounds, it’s not the weight loss we care about.
It’s the feeling, how we’ll feel (more confident, alive, fulfilled, happy, energized) that we’re after.
If someone lost 20 pounds and they still didn’t feel confident, happy, accomplished, successful, and alive, the would probably begin to think, “what’s the point… I look difference but I feel the same“.
It’s not the weight loss we’re after, it’s how we’ll feel after losing the weight.
Achieve To Feel, Not To Achieve
When we set out at the beginning of the year all fired up with our fitness goals in hand, it’s in achieving those goals that’ll determine how and what we feel throughout the year.
To say, “so what, I didn’t run that race or I didn’t lose the weight, I’ll try for it again next year” is like saying we went the entire year not feeling the way we wanted to feel…
Healthy, confident, fulfilled, energized, accomplished, feeling awesome and unstoppable.
That’s not cool.
You deserve to feel and be your absolute best.
No one can deny you that.
No one.
But There’s Always Next Year
Yes, next year is another year to go for it again, to achieve and feel the way you want to feel.
Perhaps it’s time though to stop reading the same chapter every January.
Perhaps it’s time we finish a chapter per year… growing, learning, feeling, becoming.
So that with each new year, we can begin a new chapter.
Pulling and building upon all we’ve achieved the previous year instead of going back to read the same chapter year after year.
Are You In A Better, Same, Or Worse Place Than You Were At The Beginning Of The year?
I won’t accept worse for us, that’s unacceptable, we deserve better.
I won’t accept staying the same either, there’s no such thing.
We’re Either Growing Or We’re Dying
My hope is that you are in much better place than what you were at the beginning of the year.
These next 66 days leading up to 2017 will quickly pass us by (you know they will).
As you begin thinking about the new year ahead, I ask that you consider the following…
If you’ve been stuck reading the same chapter, stuck on the same goals year after year, make a commitment to yourself, to me, to your family and friends, everyone….
Commit that you will once and for all finish the chapter you’re on so that you may move on to next one.
That you will once and for all, feel the way you want to feel, the way you deserve to feel…. Confident, happy, healthy, energized, fulfilled, accomplished, alive, free, worthy, all of it.
And if you need help finishing that chapter, let me know, I’ll help you.
Remember, it’s never about the goal itself (weight loss, race, toning up, etc).
It’s how you’ll feel afterwards, that’s the real goal, that’s the real victory.
The goal or event you achieve and complete…. that’s just icing on the cake 🙂
You’re awesome!
Mike
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