There is No Finish Line

Now after completing the Nike Women’s 15km last Sunday many people have been asking, “What’s next?”.  I get it.  You trained hard through the blood, sweat, and tears to accomplish this 15km task and now what happens? We reminded participants all weekend that although there was a finish line for the race, this was just the start of having the confidence to accomplish anything you put your mind to.  So, what really is next?

If you flash back to my first blog post, What Ever Happened to Those New Year’s Resolutions Anyways, I discussed setting SMART goals to accomplish tasks and see results.  I noted how people tend to set lofty goals thinking things will magically change without having the right tools and mindset to get there.  So here we are, 15km training is done and we are trying to figure out our next physical activity challenge.  For some, it might be a half marathon; for others, maybe something totally different like maintaining heathy habits by going to the gym 3 times per week.  The point is: remember all of the hard work it took to accomplish your task and channel that energy into your next one.

With SMART goals, we make the goals detailed so that we know exactly how we are going to achieve them.  It is the easiest way to ensure success.  Now, let’s get back to that finish line concept.  Let’s pretend person A’s goal was to finish the 15km and person B’s goal was to lose 30lbs. They are both at the starting line. Once they accomplish that initial goal, their follow up should be the same, regardless of the initial goal.  Keep on going! The question we should ask ourselves is what will we do to continue to be in the shape we are in, maintain the body composition we desire, or challenge ourselves that little bit further?  Regardless of the goal it should be a constant choice to keep your body looking and feeling the way it is.

There truly is no finish line.  Leading a healthy, active lifestyle is the race and there is no end in sight.  Each day we should wake up and be thankful we have the ability to move, run, play, and be.  Not all of us have plans of running another 15km any time soon but if you do, go for it!  If not, ask yourself how best you can maintain this healthy lifestyle and make smart choices to best take care of your bodies.  The next goal doesn’t have to be anything crazy, just let it be.  You should be commended for setting the next goal and working hard to achieve it.

Good luck to everyone in setting your next goal.  Keep chasing that finish line, never be satisfied with just getting there; keep on pushing for more.

Be fierce. Be strong. Be vibrant. 

Rachel

Check out Rachel's page on Facebook or follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Feel free to comment below with topics you would be interested in reading about in the future.