Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it truly takes to reach a goal. Not just the feel-good, Pinterest-quote version, but the real, gritty, day-in-and-day-out work of making it happen. Right now, my goal is 200 pounds. After that, 185. And after that? We’ll see. Will it be enough, or will I want more? Honestly, I haven’t weighed 185 since… well, let’s just say I was probably still learning long division (slight exaggeration, but you get the point).
Of course, the number on the scale is just part of it. What I really want is for that pesky Type II DM diagnosis to take a hike. Along with the increased risk of heart disease, kidney damage, and eye issues that like to tag along with it. I could go on, but you get the idea—none of it sounds fun.
The Four Pillars of Reaching a Goal
When it comes to achieving any goal—whether it’s weight loss, running a marathon, finishing that paper that currently consists of one sad, half-finished sentence—it all boils down to four key things: motivation, dedication, determination, and self-discipline.
Motivation: The Spark That Starts the Fire
What’s your motivation? Do you want to be healthier? Feel stronger? Look better in that bikini (something I’ve personally never worn)? Motivation is the spark that gets you started, but here’s the thing—it’s fleeting. If you rely solely on motivation, you’re in trouble. Because some days, that spark is just a sad little ember barely clinging to life.
Dedication: The Commitment That Keeps You Going
Motivation may start the journey, but dedication is what keeps your feet moving when the spark fizzles out. It’s about commitment. Are you devoted to your goal? Will you push through when things get hard? Because they will get hard. That commitment is what keeps you from quitting when motivation is nowhere to be found—kind of like me looking for my sunglasses when they’re already on my head or like a blindfolded man searching for a lost contact lens in a windstorm. You know it’s there somewhere, but good luck finding it when you need it most.
Determination: The Backbone of Success
Determination and dedication are like cousins—closely related but not quite the same. Dedication is the commitment, but determination is the stubborn refusal to quit. It’s that little voice in your head saying, I will do this. I don’t care how long it takes or how hard it gets. It’s the foundation that holds everything up. But even the strongest foundation can crack if it’s not reinforced. Which brings us to…
Self-Discipline: The Glue That Holds It All Together
At the end of the day, none of the other stuff matters if you don’t have self-discipline. You can have all the motivation, dedication, and determination in the world, but if you don’t have the discipline to get up and do the thing, it’s all wasted. Self-discipline is what makes you lace up your shoes for that walk when you’d rather collapse on the couch. It’s what forces you to push play on that ridiculous YouTube workout video even when you’d rather eat a sleeve of Oreos. It’s about making yourself do it anyway—because you know the long-term reward is worth it.
Learning When to Listen to Your Body
Now, full transparency—I’m still figuring this all out. Case in point: Last week, I was so determined, dedicated, and disciplined that I pushed myself right into being sick. Brilliant, right? I forced myself to walk even when I wasn’t feeling well, and the result? I got worse. Bad enough to miss work, bad enough to skip my walks for four days. Okay, three—one of those days was spent at a cheer competition where walking opportunities were limited (host schools, take note: please provide walking tracks for overcommitted moms). But the fourth day? That was just me being lazy and lacking the discipline to reset my foundation like a Jenga tower before it topples (yes, we’re going with that analogy).
I did get back out there tonight, though, because yesterday’s lack of discipline left me feeling slovenly. The lesson here? Listen to your body. Pushing through when you need rest isn’t dedication—it’s self-sabotage. And guilt over taking a necessary break? Completely unnecessary. Also, let’s talk about common sense for a second. As much as I want to be hardcore, let’s just say that walking in well-below-freezing temps, with wind chills that made it feel like negative 50, probably wasn’t my smartest moment. Determination is great, but frostbite is not. Sometimes, staying inside with a warm blanket and all ten toes intact is the right call.
Shoutout to My Champions
Speaking of dedication and determination, I’d be remiss if I didn’t shine a spotlight on my girls and their cheer team. I casually mentioned their competition earlier, but their performance deserves way more than that. They crushed it. Walked into their main competition’s house and left owning the dang place. First in Show, first in Pom, second in Sideline, and most importantly—GRAND CHAMPIONS.
Of course, now comes the hard part. They embarrassed their competition on their own turf, so you can bet their rivals are fired up and ready to fight back this weekend. But I know my girls and I like to think that I know at least a bit about the rest of their team—I know how badly they want it. And I have no doubt they’ll rise to the challenge.
The Weigh-In
Now for the part you’re all waiting for—the numbers. I’m still figuring out the best way to track and share my weigh-ins, but for now, here’s what I’ve got: This morning, on the mean clinic scale (because let’s be real, those things are always harsher than the ones at home), I weighed in at 236.4 pounds. Boots on, fully dressed, post-water-chug. All things considered? I’ll take it.
What’s Next?
Maybe a little more chaos in the kitchen. My current favorite? The not-a-tastes-good-but-takes-too-long casserole (title pending). Stay tuned for more on that adventure.
Until then, goodnight friends.
Cheers,
Tara Ann