5 Reasons Your Step Counter Mirrors Life

Lately, it has been occurring to me more and more that the step counter on my wrist is a mirror for life. Here's why-

1. Each Dawn Brings A New Day

When midnight strikes, the counter is reset and whatever happened today is erased and a new challenge awaits me.

It doesn't matter if yesterday was the most steps I have every walked in a day, my counter doesn't care. Neither does the world! Whatever I achieved yesterday is great, but it no longer matters today. Each day is a new day for me to embrace and make the most of.

“There is no tomorrow and there was no yesterday; if you truly want to accomplish your goals you must engulf yourself in today.”

― Noel DeJesus (Author of Preparation Breeds Professionalism)

2. Put In The Hard Work Early

"I need to go for a quick walk to get my steps". If you are keen to hit your daily target, you will understand the benefits of getting steps in early, or gaining them evenly throughout the day, to avoid a panicked rush at the end of the day. Some days this works for me, and some it doesn't. Some days I have hit my target by lunch time, others you will see me out on the pavement trying to squeeze them in before the clock resets.

Planning ahead and working consistently on what you wish to achieve is important. Just as forward planning can help with writing assignments, planning a party or holiday, or moving house, planning each day in advance can help us to achieve more and know what needs to be accomplished daily. This applies as much to our personal lives as it does to our professional lives.

The same can be said for our personal finances. Saving often and consistently over a period of time will enable a more relaxed retirement. Monthly payments build up over time, leading to being able to reap the rewards later. Such as gaining steps at the start of the week or month helps with winning a challenge or attaining targets at the end of the period.

“If you fail to prepare, you’re prepared to fail.”

– Mark Spitz (Nine-time American Olympic swimming champion)

3. Set Goals For Yourself

Personal goals are important for our motivation and development. Personal goals are just that. Personal! Whilst mine tend to be around travel or sports, specifically running, I know others with financial or career goals. Others have goals around their diet and weight.

Most step counters these days can be modified for each persons goals. Not everyone should attempt to get 10,000 per day. Some people may have set their device to constantly increase their target each time it is achieved. Others may have set theirs to a regular high amount because they know they can attain that easily. Or, maybe for some, less is a great achievement and hitting 5,000 per day can be a struggle. Whatever the target amount, hitting it is a personal achievement to be proud of, and reflects the different motivations and abilities of individuals.

This is the beautiful thing about life - everyone is different and reasons for doing certain things are different. You have to find the best option for yourself, and then work hard to achieve the things you want.

“There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.”

– Derek Jeter (American former professional baseball shortstop)

4. Competition Is Optional

I enjoy some healthy competition and as such I have regular monthly competitions with a number of people for both steps moved and miles run. I also enter a weekly competition against people I don't know, but who use the same technology as me. I find it interesting to compare myself to all these other people. For some, I have no idea where they live, what they do for work, if indeed they do work, or any of their circumstances. Yet I still compare myself to them, regardless of whether this is suitable or not. Why do we do this? Why make ourselves feel bad when it may not be appropriate to do so?

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

― Albert Einstein

How do I know, for example, if the people I compete against are postal delivery workers and walk for their employment, compared to my desk job? How can I compare myself to them and feel insignificant!

I am really only competing against myself and ensuring that everyday I am the best that I can be, on any given day. My step count often depends on what live throws at me; some days I have barely managed 500 steps, others I have moved for 40,000+ steps. I don't beat myself up about this, but understand that this is part of life. I look at the broader picture - what have I achieved this week, month or year? I'm of the belief that rest is just as important as movement and shouldn't be undermined.

5. Habits Decide The Future

The things that we invest ourselves in doing are the things that we'll be successful at.

“Without self-discipline, success is impossible, period.”

– Lou Holtz (former American football player, coach, and analyst)

If we decide that we're going to hit a target everyday then we will set our lives for this to happen, and ensure that we accomplish this. I know people who have this mission, and as such, have hit their daily target consistently for 2 years.

If we set ourselves a target, and then take a relaxed approach to hitting it and allow ourselves to fall short then we're telling ourselves that this is OK. It's OK to not accomplish what we set out to. It's OK to allow that dream to pass us by because we don't want to work for it.

If, on the other hand, we have a broader goal and steps are just a part of that, then not hitting a daily step target may not detract from the bigger picture and the ultimate goal. Whilst I try to hit my daily target, I am more concerned about my monthly steps, and my running mileage.

How different people view their steps is a glimpse into how they view their lives, their motivations, their goals, and health and well being.

“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.”

― Frederick Matthias Alexander (Australian actor who developed the Alexander Technique, an educational process said to recognise and overcome reactive, habitual limitations in movement and thinking)

Article photo by James Wheeler -