19 Hikes in 30 Days

Yesterday marked day 30 in my quest to do 30 hikes in 30 days. Somewhere around hike 7, I realized how ambitious this goal was and how with a career and a business, doing a long hike everyday may or may not be possible.

This is not an excuse; it's a reality.

Hiking takes time (and also driving to each one takes time) and I didn't want to compromise the integrity of the hike, by doing half a$$ hikes. If I am going to do 30 hikes, I'm going to do 30 hikes, not 30 semi-maybe this counts-no one will know if I compromise hikes.

Let me next say that I missed my goal of 30 in 30 days.

But I did 19.

I'm impressed and happy with myself for doing 19 hikes in 30 days. Real hikes. No compromises. No cheating.

As I got into the pursuit of the goal, I realized how tough 30 hikes in 30 days actually is. I appreciated the goal more when I was taking action on it.

This is why at the end of the 30 days, I can get excited about the fact that I did 19 hikes, instead of bummed about the fact that I didn't do 30.

And guess what? 11 of those 19 hikes were brand new. Never before Monica charted territory. If I hadn't set the goal to do 30 hikes, I may not have ever done these 11 hikes, which I gained lasting value from.

So BIG question....

Did I succeed or fail?

Truth. I successfully completed 19 hikes. And I have 11 more to do.

I would fail if I stopped hiking at 19, because the 30 days is over. I'm not stopping. I will complete the 11 hikes, and in a timely manner. You won't see me blogging about my last 11 hikes in 2013. I will finish it ASAP.

So the point...and how it applies to you.

Set a goal that stretches you, and then pursue it. Evaluate it (not the first or second day, but after you've had a chance to understand if it's the right goal for you).

If I didn't set this goal, I wouldn't have gone out of my way to get as many in as I could have. I wouldn't have hiked Old Rag for my birthday, or met my friend Janelle on a Tuesday morning to explore a lake trail near our houses, or driven to Virginia to hike an unfamiliar trail with my friend Rachel, or hiked from Bethesda to DC with my friend Laura, or finally crossed a small bridge to Roosevelt Island in DC (highly recommended, it's like being in the Matrix!)

Going for 30, meant I got 19 in, instead of the usual 4-6 I would have done without thinking about it.

Set a goal that gets you out of your comfort zone, that maybe you are not sure that you can do (right now).

Pursue it.

At the top of Old Rag on my 30th Birthday!

Evaluate it.

Reset it.

Smile and speak that you will make it.

Hit your goal.

Set another goal.

Then set another.

And another..

Don't be afraid to miss a goal. Finish what you started. I didn't fail by doing 19 hikes in 30 days. I would fail if I stopped there. Because I am capable of more. And you are too.

Be brave and set new standards for yourself today!