JANUARY UPDATES

Do you pay attention to where good ideas come to you? I believe we are all creative and can do things to stoke the right side of our brain – the artistic side that controls creativity and musical skills.

A few years ago, Tiffaney wanted to hike Half Dome (we made it just shy of the cables). In the year preceding, we prepared extensively through long training walks. 

At one point, to better prepare, I started walking home from work most evenings. There wasn't much to look at on the urban Pico Blvd. in San Clemente, but I made the most of it by making phone calls, listening to podcasts, or just playing music.

Soon, a remarkable thing started happening – my idea flow increased dramatically!

I came to cherish the value of these walks. 

When I was contemplating starting Zumasys back in 2000, a similar thing happened. I was about to embrace the most significant career decision of my life, and I was running (not walking) every afternoon in an effort to "process" my choices. Those long runs helped me think through the options and arrive at the most productive solution. 

“There are chapters in our lives when things pile up and we don't have energy for much else besides maintaining our responsibilities.

And there are times when things open up.

Be patient for those opportunities - the potential for creative expression is all around you whenever you are ready for it.”

Jon Foreman, Land Artist

Whether I'm walking, running, or just sitting on the beach, I cherish the rush of ideas that seem to come out of nowhere. I am at my best in this "flow state," I am now trying to set myself up to reawaken this part of my brain.

So, when I started walking again on January 1st to support some friends who are fighting Melanoma, I was pleased to see this increase once again.

Over the last 31 days, I've heard from dozens of old friends and acquaintances (which makes me happy); I've thought about some exciting new business ideas, and most importantly, the following happened:

• I walked 78.95 miles through the mountains (and snow)      of Utah and the trails of South Orange County, and I am concluding my      first month today by walking laps around Santa Maria Bay in Mexico. 78.95      is short of my monthly goal of 83.33 miles (1,000 miles for the year), but      I am confident I will overcome the small deficit.
• Together, we raised $34,040 for the Melanoma Research      Alliance! We are bringing attention to the small, dark-colored spots      (usually on a sun-exposed part of your skin) that can spread quickly to      other parts of the body, where it destroys tissue and is often fatal.
• I increased my connection, satisfaction, and      interaction with my friends and family whom I love, like you.

Want to learn more or get involved? Please visit my website for my 1,000-mile walk at www.paulwalks.com. 

Thanks,

Paul

What does it take to walk 1,000 miles in 2024?

First, it takes a plan (and some warm gloves if you are living through the recent Utah snowstorms).

Goals help us stretch and grow beyond what we think is possible in our professional and personal lives. If you know me, I enjoy throwing out big ideas/goals/deadlines, but I often resist the planning needed to make them happen.

In this case, as I walk 1,000 miles to raise $100,000 for Melanoma research, I had to produce a series of small milestones to help me reach the higher goal.

I start with a breakdown of how many miles I need to walk daily. Being the big math guy I am, 1,000 miles divided by 366 days (it is a leap year) is approximately 2.7 miles a day.

Next, I need to look at my calendar and plan around travel, holidays, and other events – we are surprisingly busy these days.

For a plan to work, you must take into consideration the speed bumps along the way such as bad weather, a cold (already had one), or an old Achilles problem from surgery a couple years back.

Next is probably the most important step — Accountability!

Willpower is a great tool, but it only gets us so far. Instead, declaring your goal out loud (making it public) and relying on the support of others to whom you are accountable is a much better motivator.

In this case, I’m holding myself to accountable to you, my network of friends and colleagues. I’m motivated to not disappoint you.

I’m also motivated by lost loved ones and my 4 buddies who are right in the middle of battling nasty Melanoma treatments. I don’t want to disappoint you either.

Accountability is a powerful force in our lives, and I am counting on you to help me make it across the finish line.

Here’s my update as of January 19th, a little over halfway through the first month.

Goal at this point – 51.3 miles

Actual number – 50.1

347 days left in the year

949.9 miles left toward my goal

Financial Goal - $100,000

Current amount raised - $22,600

$77,400 to go.

Thank you for your support,

Paul

Dear Friend:

Over the last several months, four friends—our CPA, our marketing guy and two very close friends from high school—have all been diagnosed with melanoma. This comes 17 years after we lost our very first Zumasys employee to melanoma, which was terribly difficult for everyone. 

Melanoma is the most invasive skin cancer and carries with it the highest risk of death. It is estimated that melanoma will affect 1 in 27 men and 1 in 40 women in their lifetime. But melanoma is highly curable if caught early.

I have been struggling with the knowledge that these are problems I cannot solve. Turns out, I know a lot about growing businesses and very little about oncology. But while I may be powerless to help my friends overcome this pernicious and misunderstood disease, I want to be of use. 

That’s why I have decided to walk 1,000 miles to raise awareness for skin cancer and to make what I hope will be a significant donation to The Melanoma Research Alliance, the world’s largest private nonprofit funder of melanoma research.

Why 1,000 miles? 

In the early 90s, the song “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers was an iconic anthem of devotion. 

But I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the man who walks a thousand miles
To fall down at your door

So that’s what I’ll be doing every day in 2024. I’m going to walk 500 miles. And then I’m going to walk 500 more. 

I am walking to honor my friends (and yours) who have suffered from this preventable but potentially deadly cancer, and, with your help, I will reach my goal by December 31, 2024.

If you’d like to help you can:

1. Nominate somebody you know who has or had melanoma. I would like to offer to walk on their behalf and even have you walk with me. 

2. Track my mileage progress, read my updates, and hold me accountable to this goal.

3. Donate to my personal campaign for The Melanoma Research Alliance.

Thanks in advance for your support and Happy New Year!