At the time of writing this, I am 5 days away from running a half marathon.

19 weeks ago my fiance - Kennedy - and I started training for a half marathon that’s down in 30A and we’re pumped that it’s finally race week.

I don’t know about you, but when I run, I love having time alone with my thoughts. Because besides when I’m running, I don’t spend much time alone with my thoughts.

And during one of my runs, I started to realize that this ½ marathon prep is very similar to wedding prep.

And I realized that the goal of running my ½ marathon at a certain pace is just like the goal of having an awesome wedding.

Let me explain.

Not only am I running a ½ marathon in a few days, but I’m getting married later this year, in September.

And Kennedy and I have been working hard planning all the details for our wedding.

Last Fall, one of my clients got married during her 10-Week Transformation. I remember how excited she was leading up to the big day. I remember how much work she had put into making her dream wedding day a reality. She couldn’t wait for the big day and the honeymoon.

But then I remember her coming back from her honeymoon and feeling kind of blah. I remember her saying, “There was so much build up into the wedding and now I’m just sad it’s all over.” She said she looked forward to it for so long and now she didn’t have anything to look forward to.

And Kennedy told me something similar recently. She said something to the extent of I want it to be the best day but it’s going to be so sad when it’s over. 

And that made me think about the ½ marathon.

We’ve done so much preparation for this race. We’ve trained for 19 weeks. We’ve put in 100s and 100s of miles on the pavement. We’ve had a lot of soreness, we’ve run during 20 degree temperatures, we’ve run in the rain, we’ve run through some pain, and in just 5 days it’s all going to be over.

The ½ marathon is going to be behind us.

But personally, I can’t wait.

But that’s not because I can’t wait for the ½ marathon itself to be done, it’s because I already have another fitness goal that I’ll be working on next. 

Having a goal after your current goal is key. 

Because while achieving a goal is fun…while hitting your ½ marathon pace is fulfilling…while having a badass wedding day and honeymoon is special, that’s not what will provide us with the greatest levels of motivation.

Peak levels of motivation come from the process.

Peak levels of motivation come from the sense that we are making progress towards a worthwhile goal.

So instead of looking at my wedding day as the end, I’m looking at it as the beginning.

Yes, having an awesome wedding is a huge goal, but we’re not stopping there.

We’ll have goals for what’s next. 

We’re not going to have a lapse in motivation; the wedding day will propel our motivation forward into whatever is next.

So whether you have a weight loss goal, a running goal, or a goal of planning a wedding, don’t stop there.

Begin to plan your next goal before that one is finished.

That way when you finish one goal, you’re off to the next.

That’s what allows athletes to transition to the real world more smoothly. When athletes have goals post retirement, they won’t have the identity crisis that so many of them experience.

That’s what allows retirees to maintain purpose in their life. When people retire, they often feel a lack of purpose and a lack of meaning. But if you already know what you’re going to be working on post retirement…if you already have goals for yourself when you hang up your cleats, you’ll live much more vibrantly - with motivation and purpose.

Remember, before your goal is finished, plan the next one.

I already have another fitness goal planned for after my ½ marathon. And I’m pumped.

And Kennedy and I will already have goals and fun plans for after our wedding.

If you need help coming up with a new goal, then let me help. Our next 10-Week Transformation starts April 22nd and registration will be opening up soon. 

But for now, try out the 1-Week FREE Trial of the 10-WT by going to nickcarrier.com/freetrial 

You’ll get access to a week’s worth of workouts and some great breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes.

Again go to nickcarrier.com/freetrial to get access today! 

To getting closer to your Best You,