I talk a lot about trusting the process and having patience. So, I wanted to share some real talk with you. Just because I’m known as a master of my focus, it doesn’t mean that I don’t have moments that test it. Even though I’m able to bring my focus back to the process, remaining patient and in the moment is a conscious effort.

Like so many things, it takes work. It doesn’t just happen. Keeping focused is a work in progress and a day-to-day choice. I really do put intentional work into it each and every day.

More than being a decision about reaching any specific outcome, focusing on progress is a way of life. No matter what is on the horizon, I wake up and make a daily decision to stay intentional about making progress day by day.  

And through the ups and downs on this journey called life, whenever I find myself wishing in a moment that I could skip ahead to the “good” times only, I consciously remind myself that any future moments require these moments right now as their stepping stones.

It’s like if you could have an actual conversation with each moment, you would say to them: “Thank you for being there for me –  because you are taking me to where I want to go.”

That’s what keeps me present and appreciative of all the moments. No matter what is going on in my life – I keep showing up in the moment with gratitude in my heart for where the moment I am in is taking me. Seeing that little movements in the needle every day are essential. This holds true whether you’re recovering from an injury or an illness or if you’re trying to reach a goal. 

And the habit of focusing on your movement forward can really go a long way in keeping you positive along any journey. 

Full disclosure and something I haven’t posted about online: Last Monday, my dad had a brain aneurysm (subarachnoid hemorrhage). He collapsed at work, and to say that the last ten days have been an extreme emotional roller coaster is to severely understate it. It has been the worst week of my life. My dad is my guy. We are so close. We see each other often and have such a tight relationship. To see him go through this has been so hard. And every day is different. Just when it seems like things are headed in the right direction, it takes a turn. It’s been emotional. And, sad. Yet, I remain hopeful that he is getting the incredible help he needs in the Neuro ICU unit. 

Lately, I have also found myself wishing I could fast forward a few weeks just to know he will be okay. But the truth is he needs every single minute of the week for his brain to heal. It will be a very long road, and I am reminding myself to be patient through this marathon-long journey.

And to bring it back to my outlook on life, this is really the way to look at the path to any goal – day by day. 

In order to get where you want to be, in any situation, you have to stay the course, trusting the process. You won’t just wake up tomorrow being there. That’s not how most journeys look. Instead, we just have to commit to it again each day until we get there. Little by little, every day, we’ll inch ourselves closer to the goal.

When you feel the impulse to skip ahead so that rougher patches are over sooner, that’s what you need to keep in mind. And when the finish line seems so far away or when where you want to be isn’t within your sight line yet.

Today, doing this will allow me to do this and that later. So, today, I’m focusing on this.

And then, step by step – over the course of time – you’re there.

It’s accepting that it’s a commitment over time.

To be completely honest, I know that this slow road can push you waaaay outside of your comfort zone. Right now, it sure doesn’t feel comfortable. But I know we’re on a step-by-step road to recovery that requires all the precious minutes on it. 

In our sport, when we work on strengthening our weaknesses, it’s a similar journey, too. 

One summer, I decided I needed to really learn how to hook the ball and stayed back in Nebraska to really work on my weaknesses. I didn’t change my game overnight, but I showed up every day to chip away at it. I knew I couldn’t just watch a YouTube video and instantly be better. So, I continued to put in the work each day, staying positive and believing in the outcome I was moving towards. Then, fast forward through that summer, and all of a sudden, going into the next season, I was much more prepared. I had strengthened my weaknesses.

Basically, we live in a society in which everything feels so immediate. We want everything to happen today, but we forget that absolutely everything requires the steps that get you there. 

Having the patience to appreciate the present moment’s part in the journey is a skill and a way of thinking. And as I’ve also often written about, you have a choice when it comes to your thinking.

So, how are you looking at your journey?

When things aren’t happening for you right now, are you able to keep going? Are you able to continue when you’re not getting immediate results right away? And are you able to develop the right attitude with patience to get through it?

In those moments when things aren’t going your way, keep the patience and discipline to stay committed. Trust me, “future you” will thank you.