Don’t ever give up. Don’t ever give in. Don’t ever stop trying. You have what it takes within.
I have never been a runner. Matter of fact, exercise has always been sheer discipline for me and not particularly enjoyable. Yet I ran a half-marathon. I can tell you how that transpired. The benefits outweighed the cost, enabling me to do something I’d never imagined myself doing.
Meet Resolve – the undeniable power of a made-up mind and a force to be reckoned with.
There’s a lot of talk about the necessity of passion these days. It’s said that if you do what you love and love what you do, there’s no stopping you. I beg to differ. The exhilaration of doing what you love is undeniable. But crucial accomplishments are often obtained when you choose to do what is good and right, whether you feel like it or not. Character is following through with a good thing, even when the mood has left you. And trust me, the mood will leave you at some point during the journey to your goal.
When the elements of determination, focus, a specific goal and a decision come into alignment, it’s like the tumblers in a lock falling into place to open the door to accomplishment.
Decision time – we’ve all danced around it. The benefits of agility, fitness and increased strength and stamina beckoned to me as I considered the commitment to run. I carefully considered the pros and cons and discussed my thoughts with my husband. I’ll confess, I was hoping he would talk me out of it with the excuses that were already in my head. You might get hurt. How will you squeeze in all the extra hours required for training? You’ve never been a runner – isn’t it crazy to start this late in the game? Instead of validating my doubts, my family was wildly encouraging.
There were additional early signs that helped me move from thinking to action. Since I had never even run a 5k, I figured I’d better find out what participating in an event was all about. The first one that fit my schedule was sponsored by the local Bar Association, as in attorneys – not purveyors of alcoholic beverages. The name, Race Judicata, was a play on the Latin term, Res Judicata, that means a final decision has been made and is no longer subject to appeal. A fortuitous name, indeed.
While training in Florida’s ninety degree heat and oppressive humidity, I needed plenty of those types of reminders to see this through. As I pushed into the ten mile distance in training, I realized this was harder than I anticipated. But by this time, I had told all my friends (and blogged about my intention), so the accountability factor was big.
When I crossed the finish line, I was relieved and gratified. Oh, did I mention I was exhausted almost to the point of delirium? The enthusiasm of those that cheered me on was humbling.
Have I become a marathon runner as a result of this experience? No. And again, no. I still don’t love running, although I do about 3 miles every day. There are lots of side-benefits from running, but the constant reminder that I can do almost anything I set my mind to do fuels my motivation for many things.
There are very few victories of great consequence in our lives that are gained immediately.
Progress is a process. Resolve is the impetus that keeps us moving forward in the face of difficulties and distractions.
What remarkable accomplishment is waiting for your decision to do what’s necessary?
Don’t deny the undeniable power of resolve. Do it.