The 99 Yard Dash by Krystal Zellmer

Have you ever heard of a 99 yard dash? No? That’s because they don’t exist! Although I have been taught, and have experienced, that is how most people live their lives. They get so close to the finish line, and then get distracted, look back, or slow down and don’t end up finishing the race. The practice we are going to discuss this month is finishing strong.

It is interesting to me how often I am going after a goal and towards the end of my process, the pressure seems to build and my excuses feel like they get larger (and sometimes even sillier). I am currently coming to the end of a 21 day fast. This for me has been a spiritual practice and I am learning so much in the process. To coincide with my fast, I also encouraged Compassionate Samurai in joining me in making or breaking a habit for 21 days, and we called it #klemmer21.

Here are a few things I noticed right in the beginning. During the day I was great. The process appeared seamless and easy. When I began to struggle was after my “day” was done. When my kids were in bed. When it was quiet. At the nightly “99th yard.” This relates so well to any process I go through when I am working on goals. I do so well for the majority of the time and then sabotage myself when I am least expecting it - at the 99th yard, when it is almost done, when I have already put in the majority of the leg work, when it’s quiet, when I’m so close. What gets you over the finish line? What gets you through the last yard? What supports you in finishing strong?

For me there are two answers to all of those questions; discipline and accountability. I have heard it said you will not always feel motivated, so you get to choose to be disciplined. This is true in my life. There are plenty of times where I don’t feel like it. Leaders rarely “feel” like it. They choose it, consciously and actively. They think less about instant gratification and focus on long term benefit and the value of their word. This is where accountability enters the game.

Accountability will hold us capable in situations and around goals when we no longer feel like moving forward. Accountability is leverage for success. I have seen studies that show that leveraging accountability increases your odds of success by 65-95%. If you are serious about finishing strong, accountability is an incredible tool to put in play. Get in the practice of making bold declarations and promises to as many people as you can in your life. Tell them what you are committed to doing with confidence. Promise them what they can count on from you. Watch your results sky rocket.

Since it is such an important month for the sport of football, let’s look at another example of this theme in the game of football. Have you ever heard of the “red zone?” My understanding is that the “red zone” is the 20 yards closest to your opponent's end zone. Based on how effective your team performs in the red zone, is a key performance indicator for winning a game of football. Basically, most games are won or lost on how your team plays in the red zone. Isn’t this also true of your goals? If you lose momentum in the “red zone” you can’t convert all of your effort from your drive into maximum points. This is the equivalent of slowing down or quitting at the 99th yard of a 100-yard dash.

The 99 yard dash is not a real race, although it is a race a lot of us run unconsciously. We slow down when we see the finish line, instead of pressing in. We miss the great and wonderful accomplishments available to us in our lives because we choose to buy our stories and excuses, instead of choosing discipline and finishing strong. It is month two of a brand new year! You might have even made some New Year's resolutions about who you were going to be this year, what goals you were going to accomplish or what you were going to create. As you are entering into the second month of the year, check in. What’s working? What’s not working? What’s next to get you back on track or to keep you on track in following through with those New Year's resolutions? I hope you use this as the fuel you deserve to push through on whatever that goal, dream or commitment is for you. When you feel yourself approaching the finish line, push yourself forward instead of pulling back. Lean in. Run past the 100 yard line. Don’t waste energy looking back. You can do it, and you have a support system that believes in you!