What Is Your WHY?

When people ask how do you balance your training, your work and your family, my usual response is there is no life balance.  I never feel like my life has balance.  

I am amazed watching people around me that are fantastic partners, fantastic parents, accomplished in their field, and training.  In my opinion, the most important factor is “what is your why?”.  Why do you focus on family? Why do you work so hard? Why do you bounce out of bed at 4:30am ready to get your exercise session in before the day starts? This “why” is your true motivator when days get tough. You should have short term and long term “whys”. 

My short term “why” I train is to run the Shut-In Ridge Trail Run the first weekend in November. This 22-mile run goes from Asheville and climbs 5,400 ft to Mount Pisgah. When my dad passed last year, I was looking for a race to honor him.  I went through his old race shirts which included many marathons Boston, Washington DC, and Charlotte.  The one that stuck out was Shut-In Ridge Run; 1980.  Through some research I learned 1980 was the inaugural year and he won 6th place.  The run is a beast and intimidating.  For the last 3 months and until November 2, this is my training “why.”  

For work, my why is to provide quality care and have great outcomes.  In medicine and the fee for service model, the why can get lost in money and revenue.  Decisions are made not based on quality but on money.  In using money as “why”, there is never enough. Someone will always do more cases and make more money, but this does not matter if your “why” is based on quality and outcomes.  I have had the benefit of working with Shoulder Innovations, a total shoulder company.  The lead surgeons in this company (Peter Johnson, Robert Gillespie and others) are fantastic humble surgeons that base their practice on quality and outcomes.  Medicine requires work, but a focused “why” makes it truly enjoyable. 

The most important “why” should be family.  I have a decision tree that I use to prioritize decisions.  1. Family, 2. Work, 3. Training and racing.  Hopefully my kids will say “he really was PRESENT”.  Being present is my why.  I am absolutely certain my ear shrieking whistle is embedded in their soul. Being present has led to fantastic, continued communication. They know I am available, and I am present.  

I see athletic injuries every day. Many are from mistakes such as inconsistent training. From a strong “WHY” comes consistency. From consistency comes growth and success. Figure out your “why”.