Goals get too much hype

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Today’s intention is:

To prepare.

Make a playlist, bring your favorite coffee mug, and pee before you hit the road. Life lives better when you pack an extra sandwich.

But I feel incredible, now.

“How’s your week going?”

“Great! It’s race week. I’m so fired up.”

“Dude, ironman, right? That’s crazy. You ready?”

“Yep. The bike will be tough. But I’ve trained enough.”

“Just think about how incredible you’ll feel afterward. It’ll all be worth it for that moment.”

My friend gets me thinking about when the race is over. I’m not sure I’ll feel incredible at all. In fact, I might feel a little down.

I’m not racing in this thing for the finish line. I’m not doing it so I can tell everyone I did it, either. I’m racing for all the moments: every second in the lake, every mile of the bike ride, and every step of the run. I want to soak up the entire beautiful, exhausting, painful, challenging experience. And when it’s over… well, it’s over. What’s incredible about that?

Maybe I sound crazy. But that’s the truth. And I think it’s part of my rub with goals.

Goals get so much hype. But anyone can toss out a massive goal. So what?

Goals only represent a moment of change. My goal is to finish the race. So I do. Then?

Goals can be out of my control. Yesterday I get an email detailing cancellation procedures due to Covid. If that happens, am I a failure?

Of course not. I’ve already succeeded in logging hundreds of miles. I run and bike almost every day. I enjoy it. I feel incredible, now.

It’s all the action around our goals that matter.

Think about marriage. Sure, the wedding (the goal in this example) is cool. But you know what’s really cool?

Sipping coffee together in the morning. Getting a hug when I need it. Sharing the human experience with my best friend.

When goals hang you up, let ‘em go. Savor what’s right in front of you, instead.

Life is so much cooler than those brief moments of validation and expectation.

Until next week,

Don’t wait. Start small. Learn as you go.

🙏🧡🤘

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