Time to Fuel Up

Has this ever happened to you? 

You're busy. You're on a time crunch. Things need to get done. Your list is long, and the time is short. You jump in your car or truck, start 'er up, and the fuel light goes off; worse yet, you see there's less than 10 miles until empty. You have no choice but to fuel up.

One of my favorite things to do is fill up the tank. It's not that I love taking the time to drive to the gas station, wait in line, get fuel and hope the pumps are speedy. Nope, what I love the most about this act is when I've paid my fee, exchanged pleasantries, rolled up the window, hit the ignition and see the needle go from E to F in a hurry. At that moment, if you're sitting in the passenger seat you will undoubtedly hear this phrase, "Full tank of fuel, endless possibilities!" 

No truer words have ever been spoken.

I don't know about you, but I love this time of year. The hustle and bustle of the holidays are behind us and the new year is in front of us. I can only hope those of you who put in the work over the course of the season are doing everything you can to refuel for the next season. Take a hint from Mother Nature and take it easy. The bare trees and fallen leaves are reminders that all living things need time to rest. The days are shorter, the nights are longer, and this is perfect for spending more time on things NO ONE ELSE CAN SEE but is crucial for a productive harvest/race season.  Now is the perfect time to do the following:

Reflect. I'm not going to tell you to write down goals. You do you. But this is a great time to reflect on 2023. What went right? What went wrong? What curveballs did life throw at you? Did you push yourself? Did you coast? Did you play scared? Did you make excuses? What goals went unrealized? Why? Reflection is often avoided because it inevitably means having a conversation with the reflection in the mirror. Deal with it.

Make a Plan. Remember your family and loved ones? Yup, schedule them first, then schedule races. This doesn't have to be exact, but it should give you a very good indication of pockets of time to spend time with the people who matter most. This does not have to be with family as everyone's situation is different, but what isn't different is everyone has someone they can appreciate and setting time aside on the calendar for them gives you the opportunity to free mind-space to pursue your goals guilt free.

Read. Turn the Podcast off and read a book (then go back to your Podcast). Stop looking at your phone. Pick up a book. I don't care if it takes you 10 minutes to read one page. READ THE PAGE. Think of reading as any other skill in triathlon; if you stink at it, work on it until it becomes a strength. PLUS, you'll retain information much better and quiet your mind at the same time. I read 26 books in 2023. My game is slipping.

My Top 3 Books of 2023

1. Best Business/Personal Development Book: Winning By Tim Grover

2. Best Fiction (and I can't help but hear Jack Nickleson's voice) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

3. Best "OMG Moment Life is Short" Book: Die With Zero by Bill Perkins

I don't care what you read, but read, read, read, and then read some more. You'll thank me.

I think 3 is enough. Plan/Reflect/Read. Yes, get your base training in, but don't go crazy with it. Last time I checked, no one reading this was working on an Olympic berth. You're most likely trying to be the best person you can be and that is 100% attainable if you give yourself an opportunity to rest, reflect, make a plan, and learn from all experiences.

Ah, yes, I love this time of year. I've got a fire going right now warming my toes. I'm thinking of what took place, where I want to be. First up, some more family time playing winter activities. My job, play cameraman, just like my dad did, and I can't wait. Live it up and rest easy everyone.