DSD-025 The Achiever's Journey

Every Personcan Accomplish Personal Greatness by Living the Achiever’s Journey

My daughter was invited to join few friends to participate in a Spartan Race. Mileage plus obstacles. This was a Sprint category, only 3-5 miles. She did it and loved it. Without hesitation she signed up for the Spartan Beast… 12-14 miles, altitude, mud, water, walls, ropes, everything. On Saturday, August 18, her and her three teammates started this race by wading chest high across a lake in the rain in 50-degree weather.

Just before that, on August 10, I went for a walk. A hike, actually. It was a hike I had planned to do twice before.

The first time was about 8 years ago and the person going with me decided not to go. So, I decided not to go as well. Kinda lame quitting so easily. It didn’t sit well with me, quitting so easily.

The next time was 3 years ago in September. There were three of us and the timing couldn’t have been worse. About 3 miles in, the worst weather hit us out of nowhere. We had no rain gear. Cold and soaking wet and less than 20% into the hike, we turned back. 

The first week of January of this year, I told myself I’d complete this hike this year no matter what. In March I had 4 other people planning to join me and we set a target date of Friday, August 10th. By May the group was down to three.  June, two and late in July the last person dropped out. Not only that, he tried to talk me out of going as well.

At 4:15am I left the trailhead alone.

Achievement is a personal definition of success.It has nothing to do with anyone else but you. It doesn’t matter if thousands of other people have already done it. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of you or thinks of what you’re doing. They don’t matter. Their opinion doesn’t matter. Their comments don’t matter. 

And if you really want to succeed at whatever it is you have a passion and challenge to do, you must answer 9 questions.  Yes, nine of them. And if you answer all nine of them, then there is no way you can lose. There is no way you can fail. There is no way you can fall sort of your goal. 

There are three groups of three questions. Answer the first three well and you get to answer the next three. Answer the next three well and you get to answer the final three.

1st 3 Circles - Purpose, Goals, Motives

Why are you here? 
A reason beyond yourself

What do you want? 
A target that makes you uncomfortable 
- Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Risky, Time-keyed, Exciting and Relevant 

Why do you want it? 
A reason that will not be denied 
- (This is not motivation. Motivation is a feeling that comes and goes. A motive is what your reason for doing something regardless of feeling.)

2nd 3 Circles - Habits, Routines, Adjustments

What are you willing to do daily to get there?
A conscious, daily activity you’ve chosen not to live without
- Like taking a step, every day you doing things, deliberate things, that will get you a little closer to your goal.

How will these habits work together?
A system that makes your habits stronger together
- Rise, brush teeth, comb hair, eat, take a shower, exercise… This doesn’t make sense. One defeats the other.
Routines create flow and synergy that empowers your habits to have their best effect on you.

How well do you adjust to change?
A flexible attitude that keeps you on track & moving forward
- Don’t let the unexpected throw you. Adjust. Little interruptions that win over time become the new norm you don’t want to accept. Stick to the routine. Going around the pothole doesn’t mean you stay in the other lane. Get back on track.

3rd 3 Circles - Resolve, Support, Repetition

How desperate are you to succeed?
What will it take for you to give up?
- No matter what! Twice I gave up on this hike because I wasn’t desperate enough to succeed.

Who is going to help you get there?
People close to you who believe in you
- My wife dropped me off at 4:15am. She drove over Trail Ridge Road alone. (She hates heights) She booked a condo with a hot tub for us. She created motivation for me to succeed.

How repeatable is your success?
If you can conquer this, you can conquer anything
- Knowing I was going to succeed tells me I can plan and execute other goals in my life. Like writing a book… or two books… or speaking in public… or speaking at conventions.

The 1st Key is Purpose: Without it, there is no Point.

The 2nd Key is Habits: Without them, there is no Headway.

The 3rd Key is Resolve: Without it, there is no Reward.

1st Arc (speedbump)  “Many plan, but few do.” Planning is fun. Little effort. No commitment. 

2nd Arc (speedbump)  “Of those who do, fewer finish.” Failure to adjust is the quickest exit from a goal.

The first three:  Scheme Your Dream. This is the planning

The second three:  Get Your Rear in Gear. This is the doing

The third three:  Gain the Grit to Go There. This is what keeps it all together and moving forward

In an interview done over 10 years ago, (back when Tiger Woods was, you know, Tiger Woods) Jack Nicklaus was asked if Tiger Woods would break his record of winning 18 major golf tournaments. Without hesitation, Jack said, “Absolutely… but he has to do it.”

Half way through the Spartan Beast, in 50-degree weather, soaked to the skin with no feeling in her fingers and toes, a volunteer asked my daughter if she wanted to “tap out.” You know, quit. My daughter said, “NO!” and just kept on going. Would she finish? Absolutely… but she had to do it.

Had she quit she would have had immediate relief from the rain, been escorted to a warm dry environment with hot coffee, medical attention and rest. She didn’t start for half a race. She started in order to finish.

Her team of four completed the 14-mile obstacle course together in just over 5 hours.

There came a point in my hike where turning back was no longer an option. With that in mind, I had no other option but to succeed.That is a great feeling except for the fact that I was still at least 7 miles from the end of the trail. I had to finish to achieve. 

Would I succeed? Absolutely… but I had to do it.

I was joined for the last 4 miles by a Park Ranger who was concerned for my dehydration issue. He insisted on monitoring my vitals and ensuring I had enough water intake for the rest of the hike. I ran the last 50 yards of my 16.2-mile hike just because I could. 

Will you write that book? 
Absolutely… but you have to do it.

Will my stay with my spouse for the rest of my life?
Absolutely… but you have to do it.

Will you start that new business you always talked about? Absolutely… but you have to do it.

Will you save money and go on that dream trip? 
Absolutely… but you have to do it. 

Will you get that master’s degree? 
Absolutely… but you have to do it.

Will you set a goal and stop at nothing until that goal is realized? 
Absolutely… but you have to do it.

This is the journey of someone who truly wants to achieve something more in their life.

This is the Achiever’s Journey.  This is your journey.

Can you do it?  Absolutely…