Extreme course corrections are often necessary

Have you ever established good habits in your life and drifted off track?

Perhaps you were racing towards saving for a new car, and then Christmas came, and your overly generous heart blew a head gasket in the budget.

Maybe you logged a ton of study hours for a licensing exam until the new season of Cobra Kai debuted, and well…

Here’s my personal confession: you lose 28 pounds in six months, and winter arrives.

Moderate attempts to get back on track fail because, face it, it’s easier and more fun to spend, binge, and be lazy. Living with limitations is a drag, right? Until you face the stone-cold truth:

You reap what you sow.

I found myself reaping a season of poor eating and health choices, playing tug of war between what my flesh wanted and what I knew was right. The middle-aged fat man inside was winning.

Only a severe course correction would help. At least, that’s how I operate. So, I woke one morning disgusted by the fat man in the mirror, and a crazy thought burst out of my mouth.

I’m going to walk 10 miles today!

And I did, learning that a 10-mile walk requires every second of 3 hours and 20 minutes and yields buckets of sweat in the southeast July heat. But here’s the insane part – I wanted to do it again the next day. After that, I had a streak and couldn’t end it on day 3. Then, ten days were on the horizon, and that became my target.

I walked 10 miles a day for 10 days, and I’m still alive to talk about it, but what did I learn?

5 Lessons from Walking 10 Miles a Day for 10 Days

1 – We are capable of doing more than we think

We all have a fat, lazy man living in our basement who tries to bust down the door and take over the house. The Apostle Paul refers to this man as our “old self,” which we must “put off… to be made new in the attitude of your minds (Ephesians 4:22-24). “Put off” is active, requires effort and intent, a purpose of mind prepared to punch the fat man in the mouth.

The battlefield is definitely in our minds, and our Enemy wants to handicap us with limitations. Walking 10 miles a day for 10 days in 95-degree July heat proved that I could do way more than what the devil wanted me to believe.

Actively pushing past your perceived limits and discovering your untapped potential ignites newfound confidence, equipping you to overcome the inner voice of doubt that tries to hold you back.

Shatter limits.

Conquer doubts.

Become unstoppable.

2 – We must plan if we want to tackle big goals

You don’t tackle 10 miles a day without planning for it. Who has an extra 3 hours and 20 minutes a day? I managed 10 miles a day by breaking the walks into three parts – mornings, lunchtime, and evenings, front-loading the longest walks in the cool of the mornings.

I aimed for 4-6 miles in the morning, 3 at lunch, and the remainder at night.

But still, where did I find the time? It required commitment and sacrifice. My wife has always said I will find the time to do what I want. So, I sacrificed sleeping in, staying up late to watch TV and lunch plans with friends and family. If I had plans, I put in more time in the other walking windows.

Let me give you two stats about goal-setting. One encouraging and one discouraging, and follow up with great news.

1. People with goals are 10x more likely to succeed.
2. Only 8% of people stick with their goals.
   https://www.founderjar.com/goal-setting-statistics/

Success isn’t that hard when 92% quit.

3 – We should practice doing hard things

Who likes doing hard things? Not many people, as reflected in the stats above. But here’s another unavoidable truth – life throws unexpected hard things at us. Jesus promised us as much:

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. John 16:33

We can prepare ourselves for inevitable difficult times by practicing doing hard things. An Olympic boxer trains for months. Brave soldiers simulate war games. And we shouldn’t avoid hard stuff because of a bit of sweat and sore feet.

How do we practice doing hard things?

Rising early to acquire new skills can prepare us for potential job loss.

Learning to do with less can prepare us for when difficult financial times come.

Practicing forgiveness can build emotional resilience against personal attacks.

Being unprepared for any of these events can be devastating. We should adopt Apostle Paul’s mindset:

I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. 1 Corinthians 9:25-27

Rain began to fall early in my walk one morning, and the lazy fat man screamed to turn back, and I almost listened to him. Instead, I shouted back, “Hey dummy, I’ll be soaked to the bone with sweat before this walk is over, so what does it matter!” and kept going.

Embrace the hard now, conquer the impossible later.

4 – We need time alone

This lesson is perhaps the one that impacted me the most. We interact with others all day, crowding our minds, taking on burdens, and draining our mental and emotional reserves.

Jesus left the crowds numerous times to be alone and if He needed a break, so do we. My morning walks were 90-100 minutes, and I gave the entire time to the Lord in prayer, listening to the Bible, and praising Him in song. My prayers were not just me rambling on with “vain repetitions,” but I also quieted my soul to hear from God.

Constructive solitude recharges our spirit and realigns our purpose. These moments of quiet reflection allow us to shed the world’s noise, hear God’s whispers, and emerge renewed. Like Jesus, who found strength in seclusion, we too can transform our alone time into a powerful source of spiritual growth and inner peace.

Time alone isn’t isolation; it’s soul restoration.

5 – We are poor leaders if we can’t lead ourselves

Our families and businesses need us to lead, but if we can’t exercise self-control and do hard things, how can we lead anyone? We won’t help others reach their dreams if we keep sabotaging our own.

True leadership begins with self-mastery. By conquering our own limitations and pushing through personal challenges, we set an example that resonates far beyond words.

When we consistently choose discipline over comfort, perseverance over surrender, we not only improve ourselves but also ignite the potential in those around us.

Leadership isn’t just about directing others; it’s about blazing a trail they can follow. Our personal victories become beacons of possibility for those we lead.

Master yourself first; others will follow.

The Journey Continues: Your Turn to Take the First Step

My 10-day, 100-mile journey taught me more than just the power of perseverance. It revealed the untapped potential within us all, the importance of planning and commitment, and the value of embracing challenges. I also learned the need for solitude in our busy lives and the critical role of self-leadership.

As you face your own challenges, remember that you’re capable of far more than you imagine.

Your journey of 100 miles – whatever form it takes – begins with a single step. What will your first step be today?

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