Monday Motivation and Reflection: The Finish Line is the Start Line

Am I finishing... or starting?

I took this picture years ago as a reminder that the start and finish lines are really one in the same.

We may always start a journey - but it never really ends. In fact our start is often a re-start, or more so a continuation after a detour or pause. Case in point this blog.

In my case,

• I have gained and lost the same weight my entire life.
• I have gotten fit and had to start over at square one every year or so.
• I have finished an Ironman and have not been able to run a mile without walking.

These major accomplishments never really... stuck. I would achieve the goal but I never really truly changed fully - only enough to get to where I wanted to be. I had no tools in my box left for what comes after the achievement. There was no permanency even though in my head I had arrived at my destination... what I did not realize was that life keeps moving and I better keep moving with it or else the finish line resets and I need to find my way "back" all over again.

ARE YOU FOCUSED ON A PLACE OR SPACE OR SIZE OR FEELING THAT WHEN YOU GET TO IT YOU HAVE ARRIVED AND YOUR JOURNEY IS OVER?

HAVE YOU SET OUT ON THE SAME JOURNEY MULTIPLE TIMES IN YOUR OWN LIFE?

Take Ironman for instance. I looked at the race as a thing - an accomplishment, a defining quality about myself. Once I crossed that finish line I would "be forever changed".

Only... I wasn't.

I was the same person at the finish line as I was at the start line, the difference was not in the 140.6 miles covered that day but in the 365 days prior as I challenged myself and grew as a person and athlete. As I pushed myself a little harder, a little farther, a little more every day both physically and mentally - but mostly mentally.

But once I crossed that line... I no longer was pushing or growing or challenging myself. I did the work, I got the prize. That was enough right?

Noooope. Then 2 years later I was wondering why I could barely run a mile... I mean I am a freaking Ironman! A mile is nothing!

Well, a mile is a HUGE thing if you did not take on the tools of transformation that got you to the finish line of one race and kept up with them to get you to the next.

I approached the race as a THING TO DO, not as a CATALYST TO GROWTH

If we look at:

• weight loss
• improved health status
• reduced inflammation
• feeling more confident in our own skin

as the DESTINATION - how likely are we to keep going on further growth and self development or to keep up the lifestyle, versus if we see it as a set of tools we can use to stay healthy and energetic for a life time... not a finish line?

Once we hit the finish line... the work starts again. Maybe to a new journey, maybe just maintaining the new life we have created - whatever it is, know that once you get to your goal you are not done!

So knowing that, we need to then look at what changes and transformations we can make that will still be enjoyable years after we hit our goals.

❔ WHAT IS YOUR FINISH LINE, AND HAVE YOU CONSIDERED WHAT TRANSFORMATIONS AND CHANGES, THE GROWTH NEEDED TO KEEP GOING AFTER CROSSING IT?