The Transformative Power of Fitness Goals
After an improvised explosive device (IED) took my arm in 2005, I lost my identity and my self-worth. I thought I would be just another statistic, another homeless veteran asking for your money on the street corner. It was like starting life over again trying to reconnect to the world and find my purpose. I fell victim to depression, anxiety and PTSD…drinking heavily, partying, all a façade to hide what was going on inside. One thing I found was that when I was actively pursuing a fitness goal, I truly felt free and connected to my world.
While I was rehabilitating at Walter Reed Army Center, I was asked to be on a triathlon team. I originally balked, thinking I’d either sink or swim in circles and bike riding was something I did to a childhood friend’s house when I was 12. Fortunately, I agreed to this endeavor…and guess what? I was horrible! I couldn’t swim a lap without breaking into a doggy paddle, and each bike ride everyone had to wait on me at stop signs. Embarrassed at my skill level and foreseeing another failed attempt to figure out who I was, I kept showing up…Every. Single. Day…because I had to. I had races on my calendar for which I was determined to be ready. I had a plan…and I was going to be relentless in its execution. Soon, I became one of the crew that waited at the stop signs.
After I lost my arm, the Army retired me, gave me a check, and said, “Thanks for your service.” At the time they didn’t allow amputees to commission as officers. My tenacity racing triathlon directly correlated with my fight to re-join the military as an officer. And I did. I became the first amputee to commission as an Army officer. I faced all the naysayers and rejections as if I were training for a race. I had a goal and trained tirelessly through the challenges to make it happen.
Just being physically active isn’t enough to reap the full benefits. If you’re into running, schedule races…keep upping the ante, going farther and longer. Into lifting? Schedule CrossFit competitions. This forces you to follow a training schedule and it really becomes ABOUT THE PROCESS, NOT THE PRODUCT. You will become intentional with your time in everything you do because it is time-consuming to get out of the novice stages of physical activity. You will get more sleep to recover properly. You will eat better to fuel your body correctly for better performance.
There is a direct correlation in how this relates to your professional execution. Your ability to set goals and execute the plan, no matter the circumstance, overflows into how you conduct your work. This becomes innate and translates to all facets of your life. And when you get that run or workout in after only a few hours of sleep because of the sick child waking you up at night, you will feel all the more accomplished because you did something 1) that you didn’t want to do and 2) that got you closer to your goal under less than ideal conditions.
And finally, having a race or competition for which you regularly train stabilizes your emotional threshold, providing heightened self-worth and the ability to manage adversity…because you are used to the discomfort that training brings. It can get you out of a funk or take you to the next level. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU THINK YOU ARE READY. Sign up for an ambitious race, get a training schedule and start working toward that goal now. AND DO NOT STOP. Know what the next race is so you can continue to grow and flourish in your personal and professional lives.
