A few weeks ago I wrote about checking in on your goals. I was inspired bya goal I was working towards: a very long one-day hike in the Grand Canyon and the idea I would emerge at the top of the Grand Canyon at the end of the hike feeling physically well.
I have long been a hiker. This year I have been on a hiking tear. I enjoy hiking and it’s a great way to take a break and relieve stress. Despite hiking more or hiking less during and through the years, this year I was focused on my big goal. This was to be, by far, the longest single day hike I had ever done.
Months before, I came up with a plan of how I wanted to train. I set up accountability by creating a spreadsheet through which I could keep track of how often I trained, the length of a hike, the elevation gained and the time spent hiking. By doing this I regularly checked in on and knew how I was doing on staying focused on the hard work it takes to reach such a goal. It wasn’t always easy to break away to hike, but, when I did, I knew the hard work and time would be worth it.
Fast forward to last week. Saturday was the day. I was lucky to have a co-conspirator, who had done the hike before, my wife. We made our way to the Grand Canyon Friday evening and woke up early Saturday morning in the dark with a plan to start as or just after the sun was rising.
Throughout the day we hiked down the south Kaibab Trail and up the Bright Angel Trail for a total of 17.6 miles with close to a mile of elevation gain. You go through stages during such a long hike, but when we emerged at the top of the Canyon Saturday afternoon my training had paid off as I felt really good. I am speaking to more than the feeling of reaching a goal and finishing a long arduous task, but I physically felt really good.
I know I usually speak on topics related to business. It may not seem like it, but this is that type of topic. Instead of telling you about my training and the hike, this could have been a story of me spending hours a week to learn a new area of the law and getting my first case in which I was able to put my time and training to use. If you take the time to invest in yourself you can reach goals. It takes hard work, but is worth it in the end.
As for my experience, it left me thinking about the next big goal I can set for myself in relation to hiking, as well in relation to other areas of my life, including business. You know the saying “Just do it.” Start today.
