The purpose of setting goals is to win the game. The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game. True long-term thinking is goal-less thinking. It’s not about any single accomplishment. It is about the cycle of endless refinement and continuous improvement. Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress. James Clear in Atomic Habits.
“Many athletes screw up the very first step in training for a race. They sign up & immediately say to themselves, ‘I want to finish in xx:xx minutes.’ I was running with a friend recently & he asked me what my goal time was for the December race I’ve signed up for. I said that I should know about two or three weeks before the race. Until then, I’ll just keep focusing on the cycle of endless refinement & continuous improvement. This is the beauty of long-term thinking!
Free Yourself!
The interesting thing about the terms endless refinement & continuous improvement is that, by definition, they never end. You just keep working on the intricate puzzle that is your fitness & health, learning & hopefully becoming a little wiser as you go. The moment you free yourself from the pressure of time, you can focus on other things like:
- Is this the right workout for you?
- Is this the right time to be doing this workout?
- Is your training a fair reflection of what you expect to experience in the race?
- Are you simply doing the best you can?
- Are you having fun?
Just Say ‘No’
The catch is that most people believe that they should be answering ‘yes’ to these questions at all times. But the real excitement happens when you answer ‘no’. This means there is opportunity for refinement & improvement. When you say ‘no’ you are now willing to make regular small & sometimes large changes to your behavior so that a breakthrough can materialize.
Train smart & have a great week!”
If you’d like to connect with Antonio, feel free to email him, call 208.297.7943 or visit the TriTown Bicycles website.
Here’s a list of past articles written by Antonio Gonzalez: