Growing up, I proudly displayed my trophies, plaques, and award ribbons on shelves in my bedroom. I had dozens of them. Nothing made me happier than receiving those polyester strips of fabric and those plastic statues with my name engraved on a stuck-on faux gold plate. After all, this was the pinnacle of achievement to my childish brain.
Fast-forward to today and I’m still looking for recognition for my efforts. But as a middle-aged mom and freelance writer, there are no trophies for doing laundry, no plaques for hitting my writing deadlines, and no ribbons for making it through the week without killing anyone. It kinda sucks.
I think this is why I’m so motivated to close all my Apple Watch rings each day and reach as many Peloton milestones as possible — for that validating pat-on-the-back and virtual “Good Job!” Since downloading the app just over a year ago, I’ve become a milestone slut and a badge whore, collecting as many different ones as possible. I do not discriminate. I’ve even befriended other Peloton riders just so I can collect all the available social badges: Dynamic Duo, Three’s Company, Pack, Squad, Flock, and Swarm. I hoard those virtual achievements the same way I did my trophies as a kid.
To add fuel to the fire, Peloton sent me a Century Club t-shirt after my 100th ride last year, and last week I was notified that I’m getting another surprise gift for completing over 15,000 minutes of exercise in 2021. While I don’t workout for the swag, it does feel nice to be rewarded. It gives me a sense of pride and makes me feel seen. That’s why I loved collecting milestone keyring charms from [solidcore]; it was a daily, visual reminder of what I achieved and how strong I was.
There is a downside, though. On one hand, collecting virtual badges is motivating and inspiring. It pushes me to to do more, keep my streak in tact, and reach that next milestone. But it also messes with my head. I’ve always had a hard time with “rest days” (it’s common for people with anxiety and PTSD, as I’ve learned in therapy), so when my Apple Watch tells me I haven’t closed my rings yet, I feel conflicted: Should I continue to binge watch Netflix from my couch on my day off, or should I jump on the bike and take a class, even though I already completed a recovery ride and stretching session as part of my active rest day? The struggle for me is real!
I know too much of a good thing can be bad, and doing anything just for the trophy probably isn’t healthy, so I’m working on being happy with my efforts regardless of the extrinsic reward received. In the meantime, if someone would can tell Apple Watch to back off the guilt tripping a bit, that would be great. I’ll even make you a ribbon as a reward. 🙂
-LJDT
