It’s a great day. After all, you’re knee-deep in a 66-day challenge, which can be invigorating and inspiring. Especially once you’ve identified the ultimate goal you want to achieve and have taken the small steps that start you off on your journey. At this point in the process, you may feel unstoppable! You’ve pinpointed potential pitfalls and you have a plan for how to handle them.
Or, maybe not. Maybe you’ve hit a slump – that’s okay! Like any good runner during a marathon, we all hit walls on occasion. Sometimes, what you need to keep going is a friendly face or words of encouragement. And this is where your community comes in. Having the right support system in place is key when you’re looking to succeed in ways you haven’t before.
Look to Friends and Family
We often look to our friends and family to be our biggest cheerleaders in our pursuit of something new and exciting. These relationships are important. They’re often what we rely on most. In fact, one recent study of more than 270,000 people across almost 100 countries concluded that these relationships are large contributors to our wellbeing and happiness, especially as we get older. As author William Chopik explains, “The general point is that the more support, the more positive interactions, the better…The important thing is having people you can rely on.”
But sometimes true support requires more than the daily ra-ra words of encouragement we count on these people to deliver. Sometimes our relationships can best support us in real-world and practical ways.
For instance, consider someone who decides to take on a 66-day fitness challenge. While giving verbal support is wonderful, studies have shown that giving accountability will take them much further. They’d benefit more from a daily walk with a friend, a partner on a new Peleton course, or a friendly rival on an app like Strava, where they can share their bike route and compete against one another (and cheer each other on!). Helping with childcare so they can do their own solo exercise regimen without interruption is also a great gesture.
Whatever the help may be, having a friend or family member support us in practical ways can make the difference between our ability to successfully mark an X through the next day of our 66-day calendar and achieving our goal or not.
If you don’t believe me, think about this year’s Charleston Marathon. For paralyzed marathoner, Adam Gorlitsky, support from his friends and family was physical. When he ran the marathon they each took turns helping him reach the finish line, walking along side of him, keeping him hydrated and motivated as he raced in a robotic exoskeleton suit (and breaking the world record in the process!). Support from our friends and family comes in all shapes and sizes – we just have to know how to engage their help as we pursue our goals.
Look to People with Like-Minded Goals
We can’t approach our 66-day challenge in a vacuum. There are other things that go on in our lives and, more often than not, conflicting tasks that threaten to distract us from our goals. Sometimes in these situations, it’s helpful to ask “Who around me is supporting my goals?” If it feels like things are working against us at times in our lives and personal spheres, it can helpful to lean on those who have similar goals. By doing so, we can learn what works and doesn’t work for others and apply it to our own goals.
Maybe your 66-day challenge is about learning to speak more comfortably in front of a group. Looking to associate with people with like-minded goals in this scenario may involve joining a Toastmasters group or even joining a Facebook page for similar anxiety-ridden public speakers in your area. Interacting with others who hold a similar goal makes the journey toward success feel less lonely and keeps us motivated.
Gaining the support of a community for our goals is similar to gaining their support for other life events—like an illness or the birth of a child. Put simply, these types of groups “bring together people who are going through or have gone through similar experiences.” And even more helpful, “participating in a group provides you with an opportunity to be with people who are likely to have a common purpose and likely understand one another.” When you apply their support to a 66-day challenge, you receive firsthand advice and feedback that helps you mark another X on the calendar.
Look to People Who’ve Already Accomplished a Similar Goal
As we’ve said before, others have traveled similar paths before us.
Learn from their journeys.
To ensure our success as we continue our 66-day challenge, you should enlist the help of those who have succeeded before you. Seek out their mentorship. These are people who we should trust to “give guidance, share knowledge and impart wisdom.” Use their experience to your advantage.
There is no reason we can’t achieve what we set out to accomplish on our 66-Day Challenge. However, the journey gets even more attainable with a little support. If you need more support as you look to accomplish your goals, the Living Your ONE Thing community can help.
Currently, there are almost 200 people within the community that are divided up by goals, sharing their successes, and holding others accountable to their 66-day challenge. They check their 411s. They keep track of their progress. They invest in each other’s success. Accomplishing big things is easier when we share our progress with others and seek accountability. It’s never too late to find camaraderie and success through others!