R&R - Rewards & Rejuvenation

I was recently reading an issue of Bicycling magazine (the last free issue I got for buying my Trek, alas), and it had a great piece on 7 people (5 individuals and one couple) who lost weight on their bikes that used rewards as an incentive to stay in it and get even more of a rise from reaching their goals. This is something I've believed in, and seen work for several people around me. I want to take the idea one step beyond this and misuse the abbreviation R&R to get there. Instead of R&R standing for 'rest & relaxation', I want to take a more active interpretation, and call is 'rewards & rejuvenation'.

Be sure to see my YouTube videos on r&r (part 1 and part 2).

rewards
Rewards is what the magazine was talking about. The individuals in the story did something really nice for themselves when they reached their goals (most bought new bikes, but some went on a big 'ridecation' to a destination they always wanted to go, which is a great idea). In addition to giving yourself a big reward for hitting your ultimate goal, you should tie this into the idea I discuss in my 10 principles around setting goals, both near and far.  You can have your ultimate goal - say losing 50 pounds - but you should have a series of intermediate goals to keep you going along the way. You could have five 10 pound goals, for example. Or, if you're running, the example I always give is not thinking about the total goal distance, but pick a spot a bit out in the distance, like a street sign or building, run to it, and then pick another.  Ultimately, you get to the big goal, but you do it in manageable pieces rather than staring at this big, daunting goal that seems too far off and out of reach, which can discourage many people to the point of giving up.

So as you hit those mile post goals - whatever they may be - give yourself something to celebrate. One person in the article had road races as her intermediate goals, and she bought herself an official jersey at each one as her reward for finishing (for those who don't know, these can range from $75-200, so it's no small thing).  I love that idea.  She bought a new bike when she had completed the races and hit her goal weight.

A concern you may have is that this can cost a lot of money. True, but what are you doing today that costs you that also keeps you from your goals?  Is there a food or bad habit you need to give up to get there? Does that come with a price? As part of the clean14 challenge, I'm giving up coffee and soda. I can easily see what those two things cost me a week - at least $20 a week, or $1,000+ per year.  Wow.  One of the people in the article quit smoking, and set aside the money from cigarettes to buy a really nice bike when he made it to the end while buying some gear and equipment along the way as his interim rewards.  Brilliant.  As he put it, he was spending the same amount of money, but it was to save his life rather than end it this time.  Even more brilliant.

The one thing to be mindful of is not to use food as a reward. That reinforces the wrong habits. Pick something tied to what you're trying to achieve. A good friend bought himself a custom pair of NikeID shoes when he had run a milestone distance (he hated them, incidentally). So if you're trying to lose weight, don't reward yourself with a cheesecake, ok?

rejuvenation
This part is easy to confuse with rewards, but that just depends on what you choose.  Along the path to reaching our goals and changing our lives, we can get tired. We can get injured. We can get discouraged. Be mindful of this, and find little ways to reset yourself when you need it. A fresh hair cut, a spa day, a weekend away, a ball game or any other way to stop, reset, have fun and release a bit. I'm particularly fond of hair changes as they can make you feel new and different, which can really help you reset when you need it most. I tend to shave my head every now and then. My wife makes fun of me for saying it's cathartic, but it is in a way. It's a sort of symbolic cleaning and restarting.  A massage can be, as well, as can a good session in a sauna or steam room.

Whatever it is, don't forget to give yourself a clean start from time to time.

So you reward yourself as you win your way to your ultimate goal, and keep yourself fresh and rejuvenated by being mindful of your need for this along the way as you enlighten.your.body.