Goals

What are goals? Why do we make goals? What does it mean to make a goal?

Goals are something that we want to achieve. We are not there yet, but we show ourselves, as well as others that we want to achieve something. A goal is something you have not achieved but would like to achieve. We make it to make ourselves accountable, to ourselves as well as with the people around us, so that we may go forward and become stronger. Goals are challenges that help us focus our dedication, our life, so that we have a point to fix our eyes on. Having that goal is knowing where the finish line is. Having the goal provides us with a path. Point A and point B. Point B being the goal, point A being where we are right now. When we make a goal, it's a shout out, a challenge that you declare to show that you are taking steps forward.

Today, as I cycled for about forty minutes, I read the first 75 pages of The Ultra Marathon Man by Dean Karnazes, who is a runner I respect and admire.  Reading his story inspires me to continue with my dreams and run with my heart.  There are always times when I need some sort of motivation that I cannot create on my own, and reading another person's story helps me remember what my goal is and how I ought to pursue that goal.

My ultimate goal is to impact and encourage others to achieve their goals.  I want to continue the inspiration spreading that has been passed on to me via different runners.  Dean Karnazes has been an inspiration to me because his running became his life.  I want to make that same decision and take the proper steps to becoming an ultra runner.  In order to impact and encourage others to achieve their goals, I need to create my own story and make that a reference point, showing others that they too can achieve goals with the proper steps.

Tomorrow, I'm hoping that I would be able to wake up early, go run to the gym, cycle for a little bit, and then run back in time to rush to work.  With a renewed heart, I'm doing my best to take steps that would help me become that ultra runner.  Little by little, I want my body to get accustomed to the amount of training that I will do to train for a 100 miler.  I've done a 50 mile race off of one month of training, but one month isn't going to get me through a 100 mile race.  I'm going to need a lot more to complete that.  For now, my next goal is the Nashville Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, which will at the same time be a step towards the 12 hour race in North Carolina, which will give me the experience needed to run the 50 miler in Atlanta.

Pick a goal, and work your way towards it, but always remember you have an ultimate goal beyond that initial goal.  Take steps towards achieving, and never give up.  Each step counts, and perseverance is always rewarded with achievement.  A plant's goal is to grow as high up as they can, towards the sun.  It never reaches the sun, but with each tendril stretching out, it achieves a higher elevation, and rises high up from the ground, where it started out as a seed.