On a completely spontaneous whim recently, a friend and I decided to ride bikes around Hubbard Lake. We didn’t check the weather or do much to prepare. We grabbed a few water bottles, which we had to secure to our bikes using hair elastics since they were small for the bottle holders, packed a bag with sunscreen and some candy bars, and set off. Two hours later we returned sweaty, smelly, dusty, and tired, but also happy and pleased with our adventure. On a side note, she deserves some recognition — she was wearing flip flops, hadn’t been out on a bike yet this year, and was using a bike that was big for her since she was visiting from out of town and hadn’t brought her own bike.

After returning to the cottage from which we started, we decided to head out on the kayaks for a paddle in the lake. A few hours later, we returned smelling even worse, still dusty, and even sweatier than when we left. After downing a few bottles of water, we decided it was time to clean up. For me, that shower felt more refreshing than my usual morning shower. And that’s usually how it goes — the dirtier I am before cleaning up, the better I feel after and the more I appreciate soap, water and shampoo.

After getting all the grime off, we then sat down and snacked a bit. It was nothing special, but it sure tasted great! But much like the shower, that’s how it goes. The hungrier I am and the harder I worked before getting to eat, the more satisfied I feel when I do finally eat.

I think that’s a terrific way to approach most things in life. If we worked harder for what we want, pushed ourselves so we ended up dirty, out of breath, and exhausted, would we feel more appreciation for what we accomplish? Would we expect more of ourselves and less from others? Would there be less of an entitlement attitude and greater personal responsibility?

The reward at the end feels better when you must work hard for it. I recently wrote another message for myself and stuck it to my office wall. This one says, “Do everything you can and then a little bit more.” It is a reminder to myself that even when I think I have given everything I can to a project, there is probably a little bit more I can give. It also serves me well when I am working out.

When I feel exhausted and ready to stop, I tell myself that is when it is time to give a little bit more. In fact, in the world of working out, that’s how you make progress. You must push your muscles, lungs, and body past the point of what you know you can do and to a place that is unknown and probably uncomfortable. That’s when we realize greater achievement and growth. That’s also when we are most appreciative of the work we have done. I know that doesn’t apply only to physical fitness.

I know there are people who go through life always pushing to the edge, but never over. That means there are people who never truly know the level of appreciation or feeling of achievement that is possible. That also means there are people who will never be able to fully understand how others feel when they have achieved something they pushed beyond their perceived limits for.

That friend I biked and kayaked with is my friend for a reason. That’s the kind of person I want in my life. I want people in my life who will push beyond their point of comfort, beyond the point of status quo, beyond the point of what they knew they could do, and truly know what it is like to appreciate a meal when they are so hungry and tired and who people who know what appreciation and achievement feel like after putting their whole self into a project, plus a little more. The kind of people who have struggled either on purpose or because of a life event, but who come out more appreciative and better on the other side because they place value in the lesson. Those are the kind of people I want to surround myself with because those are the kind of people who enrich my life and the lives of others.

If you want greater appreciation and sense of accomplishment, you must push to get it. It won’t just happen.

Jackie Krawczak is president/CEO of the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce. Her column runs bi-weekly on Thursdays. Follow Jackie on Twitter @jkrawczak.