Think about the number of times you’ve said to yourself, “I’m determined to (fill in the blank)”. How many of those times did you actually follow through and accomplish what you set out to do? Probably not every time, and that’s OK because no one is perfect.
This past month I’ve been reminded why determination and dedication are crucial components of accomplishing goals and conquering challenges. One goal I set for myself at the beginning of this year was to get back into playing tennis regularly. I signed up for a league in January and started playing once a week. I immediately noticed a tearing/stretching pain in my right shoulder when I served. After ignoring it for a few weeks, it got so bad that I had to stop in the middle of a match. Fast forward almost a month. After a visit to my sports medicine doctor and several sessions of physical therapy, I’m now doing stretches and exercises daily and adjusting my posture while I sit to fix my shoulder problem (which thankfully isn’t an injury or tear, just tight muscles and ligaments).
I’m determined to start playing tennis again by April for a spring/summer league. The only way for this to happen is if I remain dedicated to my new daily regimen. Same concept applies to any goal we set for ourselves. You can want something so bad that it consumes your thoughts and takes over your life, but you’ll never get it without hard work and dedication. Sure, there are those fluke times when something you want lands on your lap without you having to lift a finger. But isn’t it much more gratifying when you can claim you put your blood, sweat and tears into something you earned? I think so.
For an extended and slightly different read on this topic, head over to Amber Naslund’s page and check out her post, “My Dirty Little College Secret.” This line is my favorite: “If you want to make something happen bad enough, you do what you have to do, and find ways around the obstacles instead of whining about their existence.” Amen.
Have you encountered any roadblocks recently that stood in the way of your goals? How are you dedicating yourself to overcome those challenges?
Photo credit: .Larry Page