My husband is a goal setter. Ken’s also a goal-getter.🏆He doesn’t just think about his goals. He acts on them. He’s one of those guys who can’t rest until it’s done.
It’s not just big goals either. He’s this way in life- down to the smallest details. I should really be taking notes!📝
I’m not so great with goals. I’m pretty good with the goal-setting part- just not the follow-through. I take that back.🤗I’m not good with the setting part either. Here’s why- I over-analyze everything. EVERYTHING!🤔I debate in my head all of the positives and negatives before I’ll ever even consider making a plan. I can do small, daily goals that help my life run smoothly. But- big goals? Sort of big goals? Those are tougher.
As I said, my husband is a goal-getter. I think it was a classic case of opposites attract!😍
Ken is an ultrarunner.👟That means he enjoys running distances greater than a marathon, which is always 26.2. Always 26.2! That’s an important fact that non-runners either forget or truly don’t know. Never ask runners how far their marathons were or if they’re running a 5K-marathon. It’s always 26.2 miles.
Anyway, he’s had this goal of running 100 miles for quite some time. 💯That means a lot of miles for training. That’s a lot of time ⏰for training. Both of those things are tough to accomplish when there are responsibilities, work, and a family to consider. I told you that Ken is a goal-getter. This one was no different from the smaller, simpler goals. He made it happen!🙌🏻
We traveled to Vienna, Illinois, with our teenage daughter and over 400 other runners with their support crews over the weekend for Tunnel Hill 100. It was time to run down that goal. The day started off with 24 degrees and sunny ☀️ skies. Ken ran the first 26 miles at a faster pace than he originally planned. He went on to set a new personal record (PR- in runner-speak) for the first 50 miles. 🎉 By the time the sun set, he felt strong and in control each time we saw him at an aid station. He put on that headlamp and headed back down that trail. Each and every stop along the trail, he looked powerful and happy. He crushed his 101K personal record!🎉When it was time for that last leg of the race, we helped him ready the supplies and switch into tights and a jacket for the colder nighttime air. And, he was off. Angelina and I headed back to the hotel to grab a couple hours of sleep until we got the call. That call signaled one hour left. One hour until he marked that goal off the list. When his name was called as he crossed the finish line, I saw that smile on his face- that smile of a job well done!
Running 100 miles was a huge goal. It took serious consideration, careful planning, a big dose of grit, and solid determination. It took a guy who knows how to set and crush his goals!🏆He’s a badass- just saying. 😂
My biggest goal was to write and publish my book, LIFEGUARD.📚It took years- not kidding! Years! 📆There were many moments when I felt overwhelmed by it. There were times that I didn’t make the effort. I did it, though. It felt strangely terrifying and satisfying when I held that first copy 📘in my hands.
There’s nothing wrong with smaller goals, though. If I’m being honest, sometimes my only goal is to make it through the day.😀I’m happy if nothing happened to create havoc or spin my world 🌎 in the wrong direction. Baby goals are just as important as our lofty ones.
What about you?❓Self-Care Sunday tip: set a goal. It doesn’t have to be as dramatic as running 👟100 miles or publishing a book.📚It’s okay to have goals that can be accomplished easily-even in one day. Those goals still count! Be a goal 🌟getter- whatever your goals may be!
sharing the stairs 