Focus on the Journey

So, it’s 2024 and you may have a goal or New Years Resolution set up for the year. Let’s say, for example, you’ve decided to finally get that neck pain sorted out. You’ve got your destination, but now what?

Having a goal is great, because it gives you a direction to head towards, but for the majority of us, it’s not going to be enough to make real long-term progress. You might get some good momentum at first but what happens when things ultimately get hard? It’s very much part of human nature to want more, and to want it quickly. When things become uncomfortable, we revert to old habits and tend to take the path of least resistance. After all, does it really matter if I ignore my reminder to stretch while I’m at work for just one day? Long term, probably not, but it’s easy for 1 day to turn into 1 week. Then, before you know it, you’ve lost the progress you initially made.

Instead of focusing on your end-point, which can often seem like a distant and intangible idea, focus on your journey. What small changes can you make on a day-by-day basis to keep moving forward? You might focus on getting to bed 30 minutes earlier tonight, or increase your water intake by a couple of glasses. Those might seem like small things, but they can add up every day to make a huge difference in recovery. And once those changes become habit, they’re not hard anymore. They’re just something that you do without really trying. Then, you can add more and your small habits turn into big lifestyle changes.

So this year, keep your destination in your peripheral vision but try focusing on your journey, one step at a time.