One Million Steps

I have the incredibly good fortune to work at a company that sincerely and authentically looks to cultivate opportunities for employees to live a better life, not just have a great career. Over my 20+ years at the firm, there have been hundreds of opportunities to participate in events and activities that had no stated outcome other than, “Here’s something that might help you become a little healthier and more resilient in a world that can sometimes make it hard to be either.”

I didn’t realize how critical that message was as I entered my fifties. I was taking reasonably good care of myself, but I wasn’t truly structured in how I was approaching health and longevity. Coincidentally, as I started making some significant lifestyle changes outside of the office, Prosek launched a company-wide steps challenge. Prosekians would opt in to the challenge, connect their smart watches and fitness trackers to the app, and for 40-some-odd days, accumulate steps for fame, glory and some prize of unspoken provenance.

To say I jumped in feet first is: a) an understatement, and b) a terrible dad joke, but it also started me on a journey that would be life changing.

Over the next six weeks, I would clock over 1 million steps, accumulate over 300 miles of walking and running, and learn valuable lessons that I will carry into my daily life for years to come.

1. Consistency is key. My colleagues will tell you that I am hyper competitive, and I will not insult them by disagreeing. But my goal to finish at the top of the leaderboard would never have materialized if I didn’t have a plan. I changed my sleep schedule and set a daily alarm for 4:10 AM to get my steps in. This would ensure I had a contract with myself and separated my training from family and work responsibilities. A sacrifice to be sure, and there were plenty of mornings when that alarm brought forth some colorful language. But I never would have reached my goal without that fixed entry point every morning.
2. Set small goals that cumulate into larger effects. Until the last six days of the challenge, I had never even conceptualized that those one million steps were in reach. And I am delighted I didn’t. In the execution, the million steps were not the destination. My sole focus was the daily goal of 8 miles per day, which got me there. By fixing my sights on something smaller, but attainable, I could stay motivated, focus on what I needed to do today, and not get discouraged by the specter of a seemingly enormous number.
3. The end is only the beginning.  Fun fact: the day the challenge ended, I neglected to turn off that 4:10 alarm, which went off again the following morning. To my surprise, I did not hit snooze but got up and went for a walk. The sense of accomplishment I felt from having reached a seemingly unachievable goal, the changes I felt in my mind and saw in my body, and the freedom and focus that daily walking (and now running) have provided, fuel the desire to keep going. Over the course of the challenge, I lost 22 pounds, dramatically changed my diet, and saw drastic changes in my LDL, HDL, cholesterol, and triglycerides, all to the positive. Now that I have seen the benefits, there is no good reason to stop. I ran my first 5K this month, and there are many more in my future.

My overarching takeaway from all that I have shared is that investing in yourself is never a selfish act. Prioritizing your health and mental wellness pays long-term dividends for you and the people in your orbit both immediately, and then long into the future. I am grateful that Prosek challenged me to do exactly that. Believe it or not, this wellness journey began with not one, but one million simple steps.