July 1 has always signified different benchmarks for me. At most jobs I have held, it has been the start of the fiscal year. When I worked in intercollegiate athletics, we designated it as the unofficial kickoff of the “busy season.” When I lived in Washington and Montana, we treated it as the beginning of summer––because in those places, you only have two months of it¬¬––July and August.

There is another July 1 distinction that I am especially mindful of, more so than the three reasons listed above. The first day of July marks the beginning of the second half of the year. That’s right, 2019 is already 50% over with. Where did the time go?

But wait a second. I challenge you not to frame this point of the year in terms of “where did the time go?” Rather, give yourself a frank assessment of how the first six months of 2019 went for you. Did you hold true to your resolutions? Are you on your way to completing your yearly goals? Do you feel good about yourself?

Or, did things not go according to plan? Did you stray away from your goals and ambitions?

Well, if you have faithfully stayed the track for the first 26 weeks, great job! Keep up the good work and don’t get satisfied. The prize awaits! But what about those who fell off? Listen to me: don’t give up…

How many times have you watched a sports team start a game flat? Players take the court or field and can’t get anything going. The opponent takes advantage of the team’s struggles and opens up a big halftime lead. In the locker room, players are dejected. When you are down by 25 points in basketball or four touchdowns in football, it can seem like a lost cause. Why even go back out and try?

Thanks to personal will and perhaps a good pep talk, athletes have learned that the game can be won, even if the first half did not go according to plan. Even after the disappointment and embarrassment of the first two quarters, we are shown that it is possible to turn things completely around and emerge victorious. Even when a win on the scoreboard might not be possible, opportunities exist to make a run at it and secure a respectable result when the horn sounds.

If the first half of the year didn’t work out for you, use today as a new starting point. I promise you, 2019 can still be a record year! If you wrote down your goals or resolutions on January 1 (I always do), go back today and evaluate your initial intentions. Your goals are still achievable. I wish everyone a great second half of 2019. Don’t Blink