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| Vol.3.64 | |
Start - Finishby Vince PoscenteAuthor of The Ant and the Elephant, Invinceable Principles and The Age of Speed Last Sunday I witnessed an extraordinary display of determination by our office manager. It was Cara's third marathon with a goal to break four hours. To support her, I hopped on my bike and caught up to her at the 12-mile mark.
Cara is incredible. She's a mother of two amazing kids and wife of a great guy. She spends her life supporting her friends. She goes out of her way to offer a helping hand. She gets up well before sunrise to teach spin class. Her regime involved running dozens of miles every week. Moreover, she is a joy to work with. Sunday, December 14, 2008 was her day. She trained months on end. She was physically and mentally ready to reach her goal. Breaking four hours was very important to her. But sometimes it's not your day. Cara's muscles slowly started to seize while a brutal wind blew hard. She never quit. Quitting wasn't an option. But when it's painful, quitting can be the only thing on your mind. Sometimes pain (emotional, financial or physical) can seem like torture. But you started this race and you'll finish it. Quitting can be a good thing if you're cutting your losses. I have a friend that was in the car business up until a few weeks ago. He was working over 60 hours a week, making no money. He quit because it was dragging him down. He wasn't headed in the right direction. Quitting his job made sense. Years ago I had another close friend who was a pediatric resident. He came over to the house one day looking for boxes. He had decided to move and I invited him to stay for dinner. He declined saying he had too much to do. That night he committed suicide. Quitting his life made no sense. With our difficult economy, threats of all kinds and an uncertain future, it may seem like agony. The fact is you have been training your whole life for this moment. Your character is not defined by your setbacks. Your character is defined by how you respond to obstacles. Decide you will not be paralyzed. Decide your time is now. This is your time to do what Cara did in her race when it got difficult for her. She picked a point and ran to it. In every case on Sunday she ran past it, then paused for a stretch. She walked a bit then picked another point and ran. She finished the race with her family and friends waiting for her. I have a feeling Cara will be back for another marathon. She started this race and she will finish it. As for you... your time is now. Pick a point and run to it! Until next week it’s full speed ahead,
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© 2010 Vince Poscente. All Rights Reserved. |
To some, having a motivational speaker join you while your body slowly breaks down from the 26.2 mile distance would be pretty much hell. I kept my comments to a minimum.