2020 Year In Review + 2021 Goals
This is probably one of the weirdest years to reflect on. It feels like nothing happened in some ways, while in other ways, it feels like so much has changed over the last 12 months.
Arguably the most important takeaway from 2020 was that it is impossible to plan out every part of your life. There will always be unexpected things that pop up and cause you to change course, whether you want to or not.
One of the common topics that came up throughout this year with the athletes I work with is uncertainty. Our brains love to know what’s coming next. Many of us relish in control. So then what happens when that control is ripped away from us, leaving us wondering what each new month or even week will have in store?
The lesson in all of this is that life will always be unpredictable. Suppose you have ever had a loved one die unexpectedly, gotten divorced, suffered an injury, or been fired from your job. In that case, you know that 2020 isn’t the last time you will feel uncertainty looming in everything you do.
It is in these moments that you build the mental toughness and resilience to handle adversity.
I encourage you to reflect on how this year made you feel, what anxieties it brought up for you, where your most prominent sources of stress come from. The more you know about how you handle demanding situations, the more prepared you’ll be the next time life throws you a curveball.
No matter how you feel as we wrap up 2020, I’m giving you permission to feel proud of yourself for making it through in one piece.
2020 Year In Review
2020 was my first year as a full-time business owner, and to be very transparent here, it was a challenging year. After the country shut down in mid-March, thousands of dollars of expected speaking engagements for the summer were canceled. The college teams I was working with were all canceling their remaining sessions because students were being sent home. There was so much uncertainty swirling in the air that it felt disingenuous to be focusing on growing my business.
Besides the athletes I was already working with, I spent March-May just getting through, with zero effort to build or create. I am grateful to the community of athletes I am privileged to serve who allowed me to do what I do best and literally nothing else.
By June, I started to feel more of a pull to “get back to work.” While working with athletes 1x1 is where I thrive, I realized that that might not be the best way to serve the endurance community. So I created Virtual Mindset Camp. I redid how I work with my 1x1 athletes. I connected with triathlon and running coaches about how to help them navigate this time with their athletes.
And now, at the end of 2020, I am incredibly proud of the work I did over the last 12 months. Despite a global pandemic, I quadrupled my business. But more important than revenue or any other numbers, I am content and confident in what I have created. I listened to your feedback and made changes to every single part of this business to better provide what you need.
2020 HIGHLIGHTS:
Launching Virtual Mindset Camp
Traveling to Lake Placid in March (juuust before the shutdowns)
Having more time to spend with my fiancé
Running my first ultramarathon
Building a brand new website
Going to the beach with my family (after quarantining, of course)
Buying our first house and moving to Columbia, Maryland
Spending time with my best friend, who usually lives on the west coast but came home to quarantine with his family
Learning how to mountain bike (still working on this)
Embracing the introverted life
2021 Goals & Intentions
Truthfully, it is hard for me to set goals. They often make me feel restricted. In many ways, 2020 gave me the space to give myself permission to set goals in a way that works for me. I love dreaming and visualizing what I want my life to look like. I love choosing to fill my life with people, races, and experiences that bring me joy. I have found that when I make my goals very specific with numbers attached to them, it takes the pleasure out of the process. I race because it fills me up. Yes, I have certain times I want to hit across various distances. Still, I have learned the best way for me to hit those times is by prioritizing my enjoyment in the training process.
So basically, what I’m saying is I don’t necessarily have any goals for 2021. None that I am super firmly attached to and will be devastated if I don’t reach. I have dreams for my future, I have objectives I want to hit, and intentions for how I want to live my life.
GET MARRIED
This is the most important thing for me in 2021. My fiancé and I were supposed to get married in July but had to cancel and chose to wait until there were fewer restrictions around traveling. While it feels like we are already married in many ways, I am looking forward to celebrating our relationship in the most beautiful way.
XTERRA MARYLAND
This was my main triathlon/racing goal for 2020, and it didn’t happen. I actually bought my mountain bike the week before everything shut down. Doing this race is less about racing fast or winning and more about showing myself I can do something I once didn’t believe possible.
ANOTHER ULTRA
I loved training for the Patapsco 50K in the fall. I’m objectively not great at running. Yet, I loved it. I have two ideas floating around in my mind right now—one being an official 50K race in Virginia in May, the other an unofficial attempt at the Maryland portion of the Appalachian Trail. One day I’ll know what I want to do.
GROW VIRTUAL MINDSET CAMP
The first Virtual Mindset Camp took place in August and was a blast to create. I made mistakes, learned a ton, and had so many ideas for making it better. I have longed to bring the community feels to sport psychology, which feels like a step in the right direction. The first camp of 2021 will be in March, and I’m already super excited.
CONNECT WITH THE ENDURANCE COMMUNITY
I am an introvert to the max. I am not particularly good at showing up at a group run or ride and chatting with others, and feeling like instant best friends. I hate small talk. I will either not talk to you at all, or we will talk about something meaningful, like what your favorite race experience was and how it changed who you are. 2020 allowed me to lean into my introverted ways. Still, I want more connection, and now that I am “settled” in Maryland, it feels like time to embrace the community.
RACE ONLY IF I FEEL LIKE IT
You may disagree with me here, but I really enjoyed not racing. My relationship with triathlon over the last few years was becoming strained. I felt like I was racing more because it was expected of me because I was really excited about it. Having zero pressure to race was refreshing and something I want to carry into the new year. If I feel like racing, I will. If the drive isn’t there, I’ll sit this season out.
STEP INTO CEO MINDSET
I have struggled with this since my first year in business, so I know it will be a work in progress. This is less about me claiming to be the best. I know everything there is to know about running a business and more about embracing that this is not a hobby. I struggle with imposter syndrome when it comes to business, and I plan to actively work to shift my mindset around my work.
Cheers to the end of a year will surely go down in the history books, and here’s to a new year to shift our mindset and become even better versions of ourselves.