What’s Your Pathetic Excuse?

Need One Of These For Your Pile Of Excuses?
Need One Of These For Your Pile Of Excuses?

You should know, in case you don’t, I respond to every single comment and email you send. Yesterday’s Lane 8 post had a comment from occasional Guest Blogger, Skip.

Here’s the reply I just wrote, it feels post-worthy:

What if, instead of your outward appearance, you thought of your “comeback” in terms of showing your daughters that getting older doesn’t mean we have to compromise an active, healthy lifestyle?

That getting older isn’t a jail sentence to ill-health.

Do you want your daughters and your grandchildren to be unhealthy when they get older?

What will motivate them to “break the cycle” and be the change, if you can’t, or won’t, do it?

Under Six?

One Is A World-Record Holder
One Is A World-Record Holder

“Ever worry about being too fast?”

This is usually not anything that crosses a runner’s mind.

And if you’re not a runner, think of it this way, “Ever worry about being too good at something you’re working hard to be good at?”

Um, let me guess, “No, it never crosses your mind.  Why would it?  Who doesn’t want to be really fast, or really good?”

Exactly.

Except.

Except when too much too soon could be detrimental to your long term success.

Heading out for a five-mile run.  I sure hope the fourth mile isn’t under six minutes.

Not yet anyway.

Keep Your Goals Very Small

Start Small and Never Stop
Start Small and Never Stop

What the?  Keep my goals very small?  Didn’t you say to dream big?

Didn’t you say, “If your goal isn’t impossible, you’re not reaching high enough.”

Exactly.

And maybe the challenge for many people, including you, is that your definition of impossible is inaccurate.

When I started running 11 years ago, my impossible goal wasn’t to run in the Master’s Track & Field World Championships.

It also wasn’t to run one mailbox a day for a week, and then two mailboxes a day the second week and so on.

It was to get started and never stop.

One day at a time.  Get started and never quit.  Never quit, one day at a time – this is what I mean by very small goals.

Do you see the difference?