Achieving goals

I realize I just posted a blog about 2 minutes ago - I had to cut it off because the library does things in 30 minute stints, but I wanted to mention a couple things about dreaming. A year ago, I never imagined I'd be biking across the country with a bunch of charged, passionate, outdoorsy people. 6 months ago, after I'd been selected as one of the riders, I thought to myself that I'd like to raise DOUBLE the amount required of every rider;$5000 rather than $2500. The thing about setting goals that limits us is fear of failure. I felt like it'd be embarrassing or disappointing in some way if I made clear to everyone that 5000 bucks was my goal and then fell short, so it's something I've kept inside. But yesterday changed my mind. Climbing up the mountains was the most stress I've put on my body in a long time. At times it was so difficult to get my legs to respond and to do what I needed them to that I worried I'd just tip off the road into the raging flooded river beside it. Nevertheless, the higher I climbed, the more badly I wanted the finish.

I feel the same way about raising money for Partners in Health. They are acheiving what countless experts have disregarded as impossible: providing the highest quality of medical care we can to those who most need it. $5000 seemed impossible to me in January, but our Finance Chair updated me yesterday with the great news that over $4000 have now come in. So I'm going public: $5000. We can do this. Game on.