Did You Finish It?

On Monday I wrote the final 3 chapters of the roughest of rough drafts of the book I'm writing.

For the previous 11 weeks, I hadn't written more than 2 chapters in an entire week, let alone a single day. Writing is one of those things that completely drains me. It requires deep thought, uninterrupted time, and by the end of a chapter I'm usually mentally spent.

So what changed?

Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. was the final meeting of the quarter for an accountability group I lead. At the beginning of every quarter, we each declare what we're going to accomplish over the next 12 weeks, and this week it was time to report back.

I knew one question was coming: Did you finish it?

So I blocked the time and I wrote Chapter 8, then Chapter 9. By then I was completely zapped. I'd already completed a hard workout, had clients the rest of the day, and the last thing I wanted to do was write Chapter 10.

But I had the 2 things that accelerate almost every meaningful goal:

1. A deadline.

2. People who knew about it.

So I wrote Chapter 10 and it was a huge relief. I even mapped out the next 12 weeks to turn this rough draft into a finished manuscript that I'll send to a few people for feedback. It felt good knowing I'd set out to accomplish something challenging and actually followed through.

As I planned Q3, I realized I wanted to use the exact same process for another goal that's been easy to become a "someday" goal. Getting into the best shape of my life, for years I've played the "lose X pounds" game with varying success, so I figured trying a different approach would be only a positive.

So I asked myself a question, how do I become the most elite athlete possible by my 37th birthday on August 17 and then be ready for HYROX with Jenna on September 5?

Those 2 dates have already changed the way I think. When it's 8:08 at night and ice cream sounds like a great idea, I want to ask myself a different question: What would an elite athlete do right now? It's a much better question than, "Do I feel like making the right choice?"

With the book, come Tuesday there wasn’t anywhere to hide, I couldn't say I was "almost done" or "making progress." I was either going to answer yes or no to a simple question: Do you have a completed rough draft of a book?

HYROX will be the same way. On September 5, it won’t matter if I had setbacks, if life got in the way, or if I had made less that perfect choices.  The event will still be as challenging, the others competing will still be in incredible physical shape, and I will still want to compete at the highest level alongside Jenna.

If you're working toward something meaningful, I'd encourage you to try the process I did with the book and now with being in the best shape of my life.

1. Why do you want to achieve it?

I want to complete one of the hardest physical challenges of my life with my wife, be in the best shape of my life at 37, and show up every day as an energetic, healthy Dad.

2. What's the deadline?

September 5.

3. Who knows about it and will hold you accountable?

Jenna, Accountability group, and now….all of you.

The biggest goals in my life have almost always started the same way. I picked a date, I told people, and then I gave myself a moment where I'd have to answer honestly.

Maybe the goal you've been putting off doesn't need more motivation, maybe it just needs a day on the calendar and someone who's willing to ask one simple question:

Did you do what you said you were going to do?

PS. I have loved hearing from some of you around taking actions over something I’ve written, it is always humbling and inspiring.  Please keep sharing plus, in this case, it adds someone to your list who can help hold you accountable.