Step by Step

There are moments in life where you think maybe that is something I can do. Then another voice pops into your head; it is the voice of doubt. "Are you sure? That seems extremely difficult to do; you know that is a huge time commitment. Maybe someday?"

Too often, fear takes over without us thinking about the benefits of taking on a challenge. Excuses run rampant and take over our judgment. What if you looked at the possibility that you're in control of the outcome of what you want to take on? All it takes is that first step forward, and don't look back!

In the winter of this year, I attended a meeting about doing a 50-mile march to raise money for veterans. I listened intently to every word the founder, Jay Miralles, had to say. He passionately described the tragedy of many returning service members who struggled with mental health issues and homelessness. I felt terrible about that is happening to those protecting our freedom as United States citizens.

Mr. Miralles described the mission to march 50 miles to show support for these veterans. The march would start at the state capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska, on a Saturday evening, and approximately 22 hours later would be the arrival in Omaha. I was anticipating the voice of doubt to take over, and I would find some excuse not to participate.

In the next few minutes, two incredible charities, Guitars for Veterans (Nebraska) and Moving Veterans Forward, spoke about the veterans that served. After hearing these stories of the impact of these two charities, I was ready to sign up!

I have never done anything like this, but I was committed to learning along the way. Sometimes in life, we may not know every detail of what we are getting into, but we trust others to show us the way. Take, for example, starting a new job. You never know all the details, but you trust the manager and others who interviewed you to guide you into the career move. Based on the room of people at the first meeting for the 50-mile march, I knew I would be able to get the guidance I needed.

The next step was to begin a training program that would prepare me physically to walk 50 miles. I started seven months out of the actual walk date in August. I knew it was best to build up slowly! Just like any significant thing you do in life, you can't expect to be able to accomplish the challenge on day one. A few years ago, I wanted to learn about Snowflake, a cloud data warehouse. It would have been unrealistic to think I would be able to use the product without putting in the work to learn enough to get me started. I made it a goal to spend 15 to 30 minutes a day, and that time was well spent!

In one of my training sessions, where I walked for 6 hours and 21 miles, I had plenty of time to think about things. Probably the most important was reiterating in my mind why I was doing this. It was about helping those that had served our country. When I needed that little boost, I would return to why I committed to doing this march. Mr. Miralles provided the group with several opportunities to bow out. He truly wanted to make sure that your commitment was real.

If you think about everything good in your life, it has taken a commitment on your behalf. Think about your relationships, graduating from school, saving for your first car, etc. Every one of them required dedication on your part. If you didn't put your heart and soul into it, the result was not what you desired.

Mr. Miralles and others organized 10-mile training walks about six weeks from the march. They were on Sunday mornings, and I learned quickly that the group that showed up was invested in the cause and each other. The camaraderie was outstanding, and during those walks, I knew we would be there for each other during the march. The feeling reminded me of some of the great people I have worked with over the years. Colleagues that would help you through any situation to make sure you didn't fail.

The day of the march had finally arrived. There were so many emotions going on as we started. I kept reminding myself that all it takes is step by step. The walk at night put things into perspective for me. I was only doing this for one night, but what about our homeless veterans who have to do this for weeks, months, or longer? Think about how hard that would be.

Step by Step into the wee hours of the morning. Things now were getting real. Your body was letting you know it was under some distress. This became my motivator. I was uncomfortable, but the duration had an ending, unlike our veterans that lived with PTSD and other mental health issues. They had been in distress since returning home and needing help from their community. I looked east, and the sun was about to come up. There were no thoughts of quitting in my mind.

The 59 marchers continued on, and within the last five miles of the march, we were leaning on each other to complete the mission. One last quick stop to change into our march shirts before we began to walk the final stretch. The feeling of being oh so close but not yet done! The last few blocks culminated in one last big hill to climb - step by step.

Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" began to play. My heart was filled with joy as we made it to the crest of the hill and saw all of the people at the finish cheering us on. As I crossed the finish line, tears began to stream down my face as my wife greeted me. I did it! I will never forget how I felt that day. It will always be a reminder to challenge myself and suppress my fears.

Remember, all it takes is that first step!