I can still remember running my very first half marathon as if it were yesterday. It was August 2006 and I had just finished running in San Diego’s 27th Annual America’s Finest City Half Marathon.
I ran the race for my dad who at the time was in a serious battle with lung cancer. He passed away three months later.
I trained as hard and as diligent as I could for that race. I spoke with other runners, read and studied many training schedules and charts. I experimented with different types of supplements to improve my running and overall performance.
As I reflect back on the race, the best advise I can still remember receiving (Thank You Bryce Gibson) and still resonates with me until this day was, “Just Run Your Own Race”.
From the moment the race gun went off until crossing that finish line 13.1 miles later, I must have repeated those words to myself hundreds of times. Whether I was passing others or others were passing me, it didn’t matter and I did my best not to get caught up and distracted on who was passing who. I just kept thinking……
Run Your Own Race.
It’s this same concept of running my own race that I have chosen to apply to all other aspects of my life. Whether it’s with this very site, or financially, or my travels, my fitness, or community service. I am committed to running my own race in every single one of these areas.
I understand that there are many others running similar races as me, many of which are way, way ahead of me and that’s OK. They’re running their own race and I will run mine.
How many of us are running our own race, focusing on ourselves and not paying attention to the race others are running? If you’re not doing that right now, I challenge you to begin doing so immediately.
Comparing yourself to what others are doing or have accomplished, their relationships, how much weight they’ve lost, how much money they’ve made, how successful they’ve become, where they’ve been or where they’re headed is a complete waste of your valuable time. It’s a waste of time because your focus should and must be on the things you’re currently doing and are out to accomplish.
Focus on yourself, your own goals, and most importantly where you’re headed.
I know this can be tough to do and quite honestly I still struggle with it myself at times. There are many individuals who’s work I respect and follow who are helping and inspiring people from all over the globe to positive changes on a daily basis. I want to be one of those individuals with that type of reach and effect globally. I know I will get there, I just need to continue running my own race, not get discouraged, and inevitably, I too will get there.
“Enjoy your own life without comparing it with that of another.”
I remember working at a physical therapy clinic when I first completed graduate school and having the clinic administrator tell me to not let each patient we were rehabbing see each other’s progress. She wanted to make sure that our patients weren’t getting discouraged by the progress of others with the same injury.
We all run at our own pace, achieve at our own pace, create at our own pace, heal at our own pace, and succeed at our own pace. Regardless of what’s going on around you and how others are doing, please remember to just continue to…..
Run Your Own Race.
