What is YOUR most important thing?

This morning I kayaked for 4.5 hours straight. I managed to cover over 19 miles and burn 2808 Calories. Why did I do it? I did it to train for the around Long Island Paddle (duh). It is my plan to do the whole 260 miles in 10 days or less so I need to do at least 26 miles (or more) a day. 19 miles in a day is my upper limit right now. That is roughly the distance from Montauk to Block Island, a route that I have taken many times before as part of Paddle for Humanity ( www.p4h.org )

I kinda like the idea of pushing this particular region of my comfort zone. Today's paddle was hard. The wind and the current were against me much of the time. One thing I observed was when I focused on the miles (I wanted to do 20) I would get discouraged because all these external forces were working against me. When I felt discouraged, my performance suffered. 

Then I realized that if I shifted my focus, I could change everything about the experience. It turns out, when your tired and sore, your attitude can be a source of reserve power. 

What if I focused on the incredible value of the training? After all, the training is more important than today's mileage, right? I once had a mentor that said success comes from knowing the most important thing.

This is not a picture of me.
Although I have been in similar waters.

As I focused on all these forces that were beyond my control, I was limiting what I would actually accomplish today. The most important thing was the training! The mileage was secondary. Besides, the wind, the current, the sun and a ton of boats tossing 3 foot wakes my way will all be here when I do the actual paddle. I needed to train for this. I needed to see the value of the here and now. When I shifted my focus, my attitude changed and it was actually easier to paddle through. This was an AWESOME training day.  

To carry this lesson through to life. I wonder how many other areas of my life would benefit from a shift in focus? There are a lot of times when I am "tired and sore" as I navigate the sometimes rough waters of my life. I often need the reserve power of a renewed perspective. 

I suppose the best way to get this perspective is to stop and ask, "what is the most important thing here?" "What do I REALLY want to accomplish?" 

In my work, I get people to focus on asking themselves the right questions at the right time. The more uncomfortable the question, the better it is for you. 

What questions make you uncomfortable?

When I help people lose weight, I continually ask them to evaluate their focus. Is the number on the scale the most important thing? If you answer yes then you might quit if the scale rebels against you. Also, people who focus on the scale tend to gain the weight back after they lose it. Why? Generally, they regain because they lose focus. They figure they have arrived so there is no reason to worry about it anymore. 

What I have found is that lasting weight loss comes when people focus on the life they gain. They get jazzed about being healthy, climbing mountains or playing with grand kids. The most important thing for them is life, not weight loss. Living a remarkable life is an constantly renewable source of positive motivation.