“The most splendid achievement of all is the constant striving to surpass yourself and to be worthy of your own approval.” – Denis Waitley
We get excited about abstract “big” ideas – writing a book, learning an instrument, running a marathon. In the heat of the moment, we sign up. We are pumped, ready to go big. And then reality hits – the distance between where we are now and the finish line is long and requires commitment.
Abstract ideas are transformed by concrete daily actions. It requires work, rigor, discipline and practice. We not only need to sign up, which is an important first step, we must show up daily to complete the steps that follow to get to the destination.
It’s good to dream, aspire and pursue big ideas. We are built for challenge and hard – the elements of growth and fruition.
A month ago, I signed up for the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington D.C. in October. It’s a difficult marathon to get into because of its popularity so they have a lottery for entry. I’ve run three Twin Cities Marathons and wanted to run at least one more and this is the one I’ve always wanted to do.
I ran my first marathon at 39 years old and my last marathon was in 2014. I’m not a fast runner, but I love the challenge, the structure of training and the “just beyond my reach” pursuit. I found out a few weeks ago that I got in! Suddenly excitement turned to the stark reality of the work ahead.
Yesterday, I completed an online form with my demographics, past performance time and goal time on the marathon’s virtual coaching app. Based on my input, the daily plan between now and October was created to break down what it will take to prepare for the run. A detailed plan makes the pursuit concrete with daily steps to get to the finish line, with each day building on the next.
I ran 10 miles today. It felt pretty good, but my thoughts wandered too far ahead as they often do. I should be faster and pick up the pace. Today is day one and the first step to many ahead. We get stronger, build resilience and gain momentum through consistent effort. Repetition married with time. It is the accumulation of many good days and some not so good days that creates the journey.
One of my favorite authors Brené Brown often quotes the Theodore Roosevelt’s “The Man in the Arena” quote. When I get critical of my imperfect attempts and efforts, I often think of this quote. I am still in the arena, still swinging, not breaking any records and showing up. Staying in the arena IS the reward, the journey.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” ― Theodore Roosevelt
Get in the arena. Sign up AND show up, every day. Abstract to concrete. No timid souls allowed.
“The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.” – James Allen