Remember Where You Came From
I have a friend who is an amazing athlete. Extreme runs (50+ miles), swims (7 miles), Ironman competitions (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 run), and so on. We were chatting about some of her “Finish Line” experiences (get that?). Many times, she had crossed that line successfully—her training served her well and she enjoyed a great sense of achievement. But when she reminisced about those exact finishing moments...they were a blur.
She shared with me a story about the final miles of one of her Ironman races. She was suffering from severe muscle cramps and struggled to cross the finish line. In pain, and frankly, quite pissed off, she dragged herself to the finish. But get this--she remembers the experience completely. In every detail. Wait, there’s more.
So, the following Ironman, she was feeling good and looking forward to a strong finish. Harking back to her cramping experience during the prior race, she slowed down, turned around and looked behind her to seize the moment, see where she had been, and enjoy the achievement.
What’s the lesson here? When success comes too readily, it may be somewhat forgettable. When you discover that you need to double-down, suck it up, and muscle in to finish the job...THAT is the moment in time that you will carry with you forever. Embrace and live in the moment when it all comes together. Be grateful for your blessings and remember to look back and appreciate where you came from.
