Maybe all we need to do is lower the bar
Maybe all we need to do is lower the bar. Yesterday marked 1000 days of reaching my steps goal. One thousand days ago wasn’t January 1 or my birthday, nor had I set a goal of 1000 days. It was a random Thursday in August 2022. Though I didn’t begin with this end in mind, reaching the 1000-day milestone didn’t happen by accident.
After receiving a Garmin watch for my birthday, I spent a couple of months experimenting with a steps goal that would stretch me as a physical education teacher turned writer yet still be attainable on days when my feet were sore from riding or mowing. Since most days I far exceeded my mark, I considered raising the bar. But on nights when I was walking in my neighborhood at 11:00, I knew it was just right.
Greg McKeown wrote in Effortless about setting lower and upper limits—do enough to keep the chain going, but not so much that you burn out. Inspired by this 1000-days milestone, I’ve lowered my lower limit for writing Finding Joy in the East. Restarting after focusing on Finding Joy in the West was a struggle. Then, I remembered Jon Acuff’s advice, “start with fifteen minutes.” So, that’s what I did. If it feels right in a few months, I can raise it, but for now, it’s set at fifteen minutes a day.
In Focusing on The Big Rocks, I wrote about putting the big, most important rocks in the jar first to keep the pebbles and sand from taking over. Writing Finding Joy in the East must remain my big rock. What about you? Have you been missing a goal because the bar is too high? Think like a high jumper: start low, build confidence, then raise the bar, but not too high. When it’s too high, we feel defeated. We know we can’t jump that high, so we don’t even try. Try it. Lower the bar. What do you have to lose?
- Photo KB
May 15, 2025 @ 3:39 pm
Joy, I love to read your blog, whatever you write is amazing! Love you! Lonnita
May 15, 2025 @ 7:32 pm
You are so kind, Lonnita. Thank you. I appreciate your kind words.
May 15, 2025 @ 9:24 pm
Good, usable advice!
May 15, 2025 @ 10:42 pm
Thanks, Ardie!
May 17, 2025 @ 9:09 pm
Great advice. As we get older, we have to set goals each day and KEEP MOVING forward. Since retired, I do the same.
May 17, 2025 @ 9:12 pm
I am so enjoying reading your book. I have been tagging places I too would like to see. You are so brave, and have accomplished what most of us would have difficulties with. So inspiring!