"Finish Well"


     2023 is nearly behind us and 2024 is practically in the grasp of our finger tips.  With the year ending comes opportunities to reflect that often occur, I believe, naturally.  With a new year beginning, we often look forward to new hopes, goals, and aspirations.  Between the end of a year and the start of a new one, the idea of momentum is powerful. 

    Momentum - it carries both opportunities to bring results we thought we were not capable of and to fall into the traps of complacency; not seeing much growth.  2023 may have been a year where you accomplished a lot of what you set as goals and maybe even exceeded those.  It may have also been a year of many hardships, challenges and maybe just not following through with the goals we set out for and this is the kicker... 

    Whatever type of year 2023 was for us, we can ALL finish well.  This idea of "finishing well" came from a podcast I was recently listening to called "How to finish the race, suffer well and leave a legacy" on the Nick Bare Podcast.  Nick Bare is a hybrid athlete, marathon runner, marathon runner, and owner of Bare Performance Nutrition.  In this episode he chatted with a guest about the concept of finishing well.  They spoke about it in terms of a marathon or a race, that no matter how the race goes the first 24 miles, you can finish it with integrity, effort and character.  I think that speaks volumes about momentum and carrying it into 2024. 

    Personally, 2023 has offered a ton different hats to wear.  Being the first year as a husband, a new teacher, a coach of a growing fitness program, a son and brother, and now a graduate student.  Oh, and on top of that prioritizing my health, wellness and fitness.  Is it a ton to balance, yes.  Do I feel like there are times where I did not do my best at all of those? Oh you bet.  Are there habits that I have had that I may have let get a bit lazy or take a back seat? Yes.  But this idea of "finish well" is incredibly refreshing.  It does not matter how this past 51 weeks have gone.  What matters most is we make the next right decision with integrity, discipline and character.  I believe that is how we carry momentum into the start of 2024 and carrying on with current or new goals.  

    The last few years during the last week of the year, I have challenged myself to write down some sort of year culminating reflection.  This year the challenge was a bit different and I urge you to do this professionally, personally or both.  Here is the challenge: 

  On a 15:00 clock or timer 

Make a handwritten list of all the gratitude, challenges, and lessons learned from this past year

    What I find when doing this is I give myself some grace in being able to see what I did accomplish and what I did do well, but also seeing where there can be some improvement.  It's about growth.  It's about showing up for our herd and showing up as the best version of... (insert any of your titles).  Let's carry this momentum forward, let's finish well. 


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