In CFL Football, there is a Three-Minute Warning, given (not surprisingly) three minutes before the end of the first and second halves of the game. That warning simply defines a relatively small, but not insignificant interval within each half of the game. During the first 27 minutes, you execute your game plan, responding to challenges and pressing any advantages you discover. That is the normal flow of the game.

When the Three-Minute Warning is given, though, you enter a defined zone. Teams in professional sports practice various three-minute scenarios, such as defending or retaking a lead. You play differently once the Three-Minute Warning has been given, because the half (or the game) is nearly over. It is now GO-TIME. Do-or-die time. You want to finish well.

At the risk of going overboard with my analogy, I draw this comparison. DAY THIRTEEN of our challenge is essentially a Three-Minute Warning. It is a short, focused opportunity to assess how we’re doing. Are we on-track with our wellness goals so far? Have we “played” a good first half? The game (challenge) is not over yet, but it’s always better to head to into half-time knowing we have made the best effort we could. Try to finish well.

Tomorrow marks the half-way point of our 2019 February Challenge. It’s going to be half-time! I hope you have pushed yourself, and that you have seen some stretching and growth. I hope you have had some challenges to overcome, and that you made a solid effort to overcome them. If you made that effort, I am proud of you, and I think you should be proud of yourself as well. If, when you think of your first half, you realize your effort wasn’t where you wanted it to be… I would say that realizing that fact allows you to now make a different choice. Use the Three-Minute Warning to learn from your earlier successes and failures, go out there, and DO YOUR BEST!