In this episode of the Becoming You podcast, I talk about what I learned after walking 100 miles in January.

At the beginning of 2022, I set several mini-goals around improving my general health and wellbeing, one of which was walking 100 miles.

Through this experience, I learned a thing or two about goal-setting, and I’m excited to share these lessons with you today.

Lesson #1: It’s not enough to say, “I want to become happy.”

When we fail to achieve a goal, it’s usually for one or more of these three reasons: 1) It was not measurable; 2) It was not achievable, or 3) We didn’t set a deadline.

I made sure to cover these three bases when setting my January goals. I stretched myself, but not to the point of setting unrealistic expectations.

So, the next time you set goals, evaluate them according to these three criteria: 1) Is it measurable?; 2) Does it have a timeline?; 3) Is it realistic?

Lesson #2: Break your goal down into smaller parts and have a plan to tackle them each day.

My goal was to walk 100 miles in 31 days, which meant I needed to do about 3.1 miles a day.

Break your goal down into smaller segments. It will make it less intimidating and help you maintain your motivation.

Lesson #3: Breaking your goals down into smaller chunks paves the way for flexibility.

If you say, “I want to meditate for 30 days straight,” you leave no room for error. It’s either you make the 30 days, or you fail.

Instead, you can say, “I want to meditate for a total of 300 minutes this month.” That’s 10 minutes a day; meaning, if you miss a day, you can always do 15 minutes for the next two days or 20 minutes straight the next day to make up for it.

There were some days I couldn’t walk due to inclement weather. Life just happens. As much as we want to stick to something every single day, it’s unrealistic.

Lesson #4: Chip away at your goal even if it seems insurmountable.

You only fail if you quit; but, you can always, always make your goal as long as you keep chipping away.

One of the main things I learned from Everesting 29029—a previous endurance challenge I completed—is that you just have to keep taking baby steps towards your goal, because you will be amazed at what you can achieve.

Lesson #5: Think about how you would feel if you give up too soon.

Conversely, think about how you, your friends, and your family would feel once you do finish the goal.

Imagining that feeling of regret that would take over you if you were to give up, will spark that drive to soldier on.

Why do you want to achieve this goal?

For me, it’s as simple as: I want to be proud of myself.

Whatever your motivation, it needs to be wholly true to you and powerful enough to keep you going no matter what.

Lesson #6: Track it.

Never keep it in your head. Put your goals and your progress on paper.

Once you’ve done it, cross it off. It sounds so simple, but there’s no better feeling than doing so. If you’ve ever ticked off items on any type of checklist, whether it’s a task list for work or even a grocery list, the feeling is the same.

Lesson #7: Make it fun!

Some days, I walked with my kids, which really helped pass the time. Another way I did that is by listening to my favorite podcasts while getting those miles in. Other days, I’d talk with my friends on the phone while I walked.

Lesson #8: Push yourself, even if it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient.

You will always have challenges along the way when fighting for something really important to you. If it was easy to achieve our goals, we’d all be doing it and there wouldn’t be a need for discussions like these.

You see, the goals we set are designed to challenge us. That’s why we set goals in the first place—to expand our comfort zone.

Learn more about me and my coaching services:

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