The big goal is done. What next?

Hey Reader,

We got an interesting listener question on this week’s pod.

She had just finished her first marathon, and she asked, “Now I feel weirdly flat and lost. Is that normal? And what do you do after the big goal is done?”

It really stood out to me because, just before that, I’d been telling my co-host about a good friend of mine who ran her first marathon in New York.

She’d been working toward it for a few years.

It got pretty rough for her around mile 22, and she had to walk some of it, but she soldiered through and absolutely crushed it.

She saw so many people she knew along the way, and she said the atmosphere was amazing.

And straight after, she was already saying, “I’m gonna find a way to go back next year.”

So you’ve got two people who just did the same big thing.

One of them can’t wait to do it again, and the other feels flat and a bit lost.

It got me thinking about what’s really going on there.

🧠 Feeling flat after hitting a big goal

I find the bit after a big goal really interesting.

You’d think it’s when you’d feel your best.

You’ve spent months working toward something you really wanted, and made a lot of sacrifices to get there.

You finally do it, and you’re left with this weird “now what?” feeling.

Sometimes it’s because we attach so much of ourselves to that one goal.

I’ve fallen into that trap myself.

I’ve let a race become this big thing about who I am, and who I am to other people.

When that much is wrapped up in it, missing the goal feels terrible, but hitting it can feel flat too.

And sometimes, we’ve pushed so hard for so long that there’s not much left in the tank.

Either way, it can go further than just feeling flat.

We lose our mojo a bit, and it’s easy to think we’ve lost interest in the whole thing.

❤️ It’s one part of something bigger

It’s totally okay to feel a bit flat after something big.

The best thing you can do is take the pressure off for a few weeks.

Drop the structure, try a different sport, and do stuff you enjoy, just for the fun of it.

Then, take a bit of time to think about why you went after the goal in the first place, and what you want more of.

I think that’s the difference with my friend.

The race was not the whole point for her.

She loved the years of getting there and the people along the way, so when it was done, she just wanted more of it.

When you’re aligned with the bigger reason you’re doing it, it sustains your momentum even after achieving it.

It becomes one really good part of something you’ll keep doing for years.

You get to actually enjoy what you’ve achieved and be proud of it.

And you’ll be surprised how quickly the motivation comes back.

So how did you feel after the last big thing you achieved?

What made you go after it in the first place?

What did you love about getting there?

What do you want more of?

Be proud of what you’ve done, and take your time with it.

The spark will come back.

With appreciation,

Huw

P.S. We talked about this on this week’s pod.

I also shared how I’ve been getting my head ready for my upcoming 100-mile race, and we talked about how to handle the nerves that come with big goals.

Plus loads more good stuff.

Worth a listen.