What goal are you proud of achieving?

There are two elements to a goal; the journey and the attainment. The ratio is a bit off, the journey is 98% and the attainment is 2%. Unless you are the 58-year-old that still relives your part in an obscure high school football game everytime the Friday night lights power up; then the ratio is flipped. For the rest of us, the time spent to attain the goal is the preparation and the grind to achieve the degree, the medal or the acknowledgment. Historically, I would characterize my attainment 2%, as very stoic. Great, I won an award, let me take it out of the frame and put it in the file cabinet. Disclaimer: my achievements do not include any Nobel prizes.

But, is that the whole story?

Any achievement is done with supporting help from others and celebrating the 2% allows for a moment to reflect and thank those that helped to make it possible. Remaining silent or downplaying the achievement is selfish and robs others of celebrating their contribution in the pursuit of the goal. This also provides an opportunity to inspire others and cheer them along on their journey. The 2% is important.

Last year my son and I completed a Spartan Sprint obstacle race. I was very nervous going into the race and nearly backed out the night before the race due to fear of injury. Spoiler Alert: it didn't kill me. We finished, not in record time, but we finished. We made some great memories and will be doing another couple Spartan races this year. Celebrating the completion of the race was an opportunity to thank my son for heaving me over obstacles, walls and whatever else was necessary to keep me going. It would have been a missed opportunity to encourage my son if I had merely filed the finisher medal away and never spoke of it again. We both need to be reminded of the glory of achieving a goal. 

Going Further: How do you acknowledge the goals you have achieved? How do you celebrate with those that have helped and sacrificed for you to achieve the goal? What prevents you from fully celebrating? Are there any achieved goals that were not properly acknowledged? What other question should be asked?

When did you last marvel at your body?

Regardless of the presence or absence of six-pack abs, perfect skin or pearly white teeth right now, how do you appreciate this physical body? 

The world demands that we are physically never enough and there is always room for growth. But, for the next two minutes, let's suspend any need to change our diet or exercise program and appreciate the body we have. This is not the time for judgment, comparison or self-loathing, but appreciation. This physical frame has carried you through childhood, the tumultuous teen years, the drunken college years to where you are today.

If my body was a car, I would have been on the side of the road a long time ago. Consider how carefully you have fed the machine the specific diet it requires. Consider the exercise and maintenance you have consistently provided to keep the organs and muscles running efficiently. Consider the mental and spiritual care you have provided to nourish the inner self. Consider the chemical concoctions the body has overcome while living a life of anxiety and stress in the modern world. The bodies insistence to stay alive through a lifetime of trauma and abuse is breathtaking. 

We have witnessed the spectrum of people that thrive because of, and in some cases in spite of, their physical bodies. We cheer the one to break the marathon finish line tape for their training and physical prowess. Then we wait and applaud those that finish last to cheer on their tenacity, despite their limitations. Flex your hand and admire the musculature that moves the fingers. Count your heartbeats for a minute and recognize you don't have to will each beat. Consider the complexity of balance and coordination to walk from room to room. Internalize that a marvelous work is staring back in the mirror and this remarkable being is like no other. This marvel is enough to be celebrated. 

Going Further: What trauma has your body healed from? When were you surprised by your bodies performance? What is a nuance of your body? When did your body perform optimally? What would appreciation for you body look like? What other question comes to mind?