A Good Time To Reset The Odometer

Do you make Yew Year’s Resolutions?

Eat healthy. Lose weight. Less TV. Read more. All those would be nice, I suppose, but for me there’s just nothing magic about January 1st that imparts a sudden burst of desire to do big, life-changing things I wasn’t doing before.

While every day’s a new beginning, a New Year does offer one special opportunity to commit to a fresh start.

Reset The Odometer

On January 1 I set my bike computer to 0.0. It’s a reminder that the miles from 2015 won’t help my training or keep me fit in 2016.

I train in other areas of my life as well. I’m training to be a better writer and a more effective leader for the FREEDOM TOUR. I’m training to follow Jesus more closely.

I’ve been thinking about this verse about training:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12:1)

How do we “throw off everything that hinders?” Perhaps it’s sort of like setting the odometer to 0.0 and committing again to what matters.

The miles I did last year won’t keep me fit in 2016.

The words I wrote last year were last year’s words.

The money we raised last year won’t help the kids at the HOME OF HOPE next year.

Last year’s FREEDOM TOUR can’t be next year’s FREEDOM TOUR. We can’t simply rinse and repeat, because same-old-same-old leads to entropy. We have to care enough to dream big and take risks or we’ll slide into mediocrity.

The path I walked with Jesus last year…I suspect it isn’t the same path He has in mind for 2016.

So I reset the odometer in each area and look for a few of the things I can throw off, the things that hinder my training. And here’s a curious little side note: when I reevaluate and “throw off everything that hinders” I may end up doing things like eating healthier or watching less TV.

What are you training for? What odometer do you need to reset? What hinders your training?

Stop trying. Start training.