Usually when I’m out in my kayak I find aquatic-themed song snippets pop into my head. “The River” by Garth Brooks comes up a lot. So does “Come Sail Away” by Styx.
One day this summer, though, I starting singing a one-line excerpt from IN THE HEIGHTS: “…with my eyes on the horizon.” Naturally, as I sang I found myself lifting my focus up from the water and gazing further into the distance toward the shore.
I gradually came to recognize parallels between kayaking across a lake and the process of setting goals for a new semester.
First, get into a rhythm. Steady progress in a kayak occurs when each stroke of the paddle is smooth and efficient. Establishing a regular rhythm, devoid of erratic motions, will consistently propel the boat forward. But if I get distracted and lose my focus, my paddling gets sloppy, and I stop making progress.
Look up frequently to see what is in the not-too-distant future. Once I have set a routine and a rhythm, I have to remind myself to look up and see what’s ahead. Maybe there is a log or an outcropping of rocks coming up that I’ll need to maneuver around. If I catch these obstacles when they are still a ways off, I can make subtle adjustments to get around them. If I don’t look up often enough, I sometimes have to take evasive action to avoid an obstacle that I otherwise could have avoided.Every so often, look toward the shoreline to make sure you’re headed in the right overall direction. It doesn’t take much to get off track. When my head is down and all I'm focusing on is the water immediately in front of me, I don't always notice if I start heading somewhere other than where I intended. Again, the sooner I catch this change of course, the easier it is to make slight adjustments to get pointed in the right direction again.
Periodically, look back and appreciate how far you’ve come. A few times I’ve been paddling hard for what felt like a long time only to look up and find the far shoreline seemingly just as far away as it was when I had started out. It was only when I looked back over my shoulder to where I launched the kayak that I realized just how much distance I had actually covered. I had been too focused on the far-off destination to realize that I was, in fact, making significant progress.
Now that we are starting a new semester, what are your vocal goals for your daily routine? What are your short-term goals for the not-too-distant future? What are your long-term goals?
And how can you remind yourself to check in periodically to appreciate your progress and to make sure you are still enjoying the process?
Let’s have a great year.
Now go practice.
