Monday evening, I had the opportunity to hear thirteen of our choir students perform with other students from across the country in Orlando, Florida. These students have spent the year working on their craft with Mr. Peter Schleif, our choir director and Director of our Vocal Performance Program. Over the course of the school year, our full choir practices daily, works with outside instructors on occasion, and performs in our Chapel once a term. This performance was an opportunity for them to celebrate their work with other like-minded students from around the country.

As I thought about our student’s experience at this concert, it reminded me of my own experience nine years ago when I decided to train for the Twin Cities marathon. For almost a year, I followed a training regimen designed to prepare me for 26.2 miles. On the Friday of race weekend, I came to work—at that time, I was the Upper School Director—and on my door was a poster signed by a number of my SSM colleagues with notes of encouragement. In big font, it said “Congratulations! Now Enjoy Your Victory Lap.”

Aside from being moved by my colleagues’ support, I remember this as the moment my attitude and approach changed, and I recognized getting to run the marathon with thousands of others was not my test. I had already prepared for a year; my test was completed. This was my celebration.

The Monday evening concert in Orlando capped off an incredible three weeks for our students and faculty at Shattuck-St. Mary’s. From Irvine, California to Marlborough, Massachusetts, 160 of our student athletes competed in USA Hockey Nationals competitions. Throughout the season, these students maintain their academics, practice and train daily, and compete on most weekends multiple times. Wash, rinse, and repeat. The opportunity to play in the national tournament and ultimately play for a national championship is the goal at the beginning of the season, but to be prepared to do that, there is hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

It is essential to set goals, whether that goal is to be invited to perform, to win a national championship, or to improve your term-end grades. Goal setting allows the real work to begin. When you have a goal in mind, it allows you to focus on the work. It allows you to challenge yourself, learn new things, and build relationships necessary for success. That work happens daily. And, ultimately, what you come to realize is that while that “goal” is still out there, it is an understanding of the value of the daily work—a love for the process—that is the ultimate goal.

So when our BioScience students present their research on Wednesday (2:30 pm, Newhall Auditorium), that is their opportunity to celebrate the work they have done for the last several years. When our soccer students hit the pitch in Maryland next month, our actors take to the stage in early May, or our graduating seniors set foot on their college campus for the first time, those are all opportunities to celebrate the work, to appreciate the process.

And, after the celebrating is over, it is time to set a new goal and get to work.