When was the last time you completely wore something out?
I’m not referring to wearing the ink off a remote control button or wearing out the upholstery on your sofa.
When was the last time you wore something out from physical activity?
What if everyone set a goal of wearing something out this year?
In the photo above are my former hiking boots. Sadly, we had to put them down a few years back after their final, glorious trip to the Grand Canyon. They’d carried me many wondrous places. On that Grand Canyon trip, the soles began to detach from the boot mid-hike and had to be taped in place to finish the journey. (Always have some duct tape with you when hiking!)
More recently, my ice skates have begun to show signs of what will eventually be a fatal wound to the boot material. I’ve had them 30 years I’m guessing. I’ll keep using them until they have no more left to give.
What do you have that you will do the same with – use it until it has no more to give you?
It’s not the destination to wearing something out that matters, but the journey. The process.
Going on all those hikes across two continents slowly wore out my boots. Ice skating indoors and outdoors for decades with a plan to start playing hockey that never quite materialized because well, you need to be really good at skating before forgetting all about skating to play hockey. I have only in the last few years gotten that good at skating, but now I just enjoy skating itself and am happy to watch others play hockey.
So what will you wear out this year? Think of something you have that you can wear out if you use it enough. Perhaps you have your own long-of-tooth hiking boots desperate for some attention. Or maybe a baseball glove or lacrosse stick. Or maybe the goal can be to wear down the tread on your bike tires.
It’s up to you.
Now get up, get out there, and wear that thing out! Along the way, you’ll be physically active doing something you enjoy.