A person that I really respect who is a racer and owns their own business just contacted me and told me that they feel "unfocused." This individual accomplishes more in one month than most people do in a year, but they still feel like they are just "spinning their wheels." I think many people have this feeling of being stuck in a rut, running around in circles (and I am not talking about stock car racing!), chasing their tails, not getting anywhere, or just plain feeling unsatisfied with their lives, careers, or with their racing programs.

Well as much as this feeling of discontent or dissatisfaction may not feel good or be an enjoyable state, most sport psychologists would argue that this may be a good thing. People who never think about their goals and what they are doing are probably the people who really are stuck in a rut. Don't you think that John Force and Jeff Gordon are constantly examining their lives and their racing programs to make sure that they are the best that they can be? Of course any successful racer and person needs to look at their lives and examine 1.) What they are doing to help them achieve their goals, 2.) What things they are doing that indeed are a waste of time and energy and not helping them achieve their goals, and 3.) Think about things they need to eliminate or things they need to do to achieve their goals. If you never have that feeling of "Is this what I am supposed to be doing" or "I don't feel like I am accomplishing enough" than you probably are not pushing yourself hard enough to be the best that you can be.

However, at the same time that pushing yourself; reflecting upon your goals and behaviors, and trying to be the best that you can be, you also need to balance this with a few other traits. First, it takes patience, and I have found that racers do not tend to be the most patient group of individuals. We tend to want everything right now and FAST! Sometimes in our lives things take time to develop or unfold the way we want them too. Second, our goals have to be tempered with realism. As much as I would love to own a top fuel dragster, it just isn't going to happen in the next few years. Rather, I need to have high expectations that are also realistic given the money, connections, time, location, and other life events. And third, as we try to be more, achieve more, go faster, win more, etc. don't forget to be grateful and appreciative for what you have currently. Sometimes it is easy to get so caught up in dreaming about tomorrow and our long-term goals that we don't take time to enjoy and appreciate what we have right now!

Sometimes when you feel like you are "spinning your wheels" this is the impetus to make a change, do something different, drop what isn't helping you achieve your goals, or venture into something new. So go ahead, dream big, think about your goals, eliminate what is not working, and work hard on realistic goals while at the same time being patient and appreciating today!

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