I ran a 20k over this past weekend. I thought I was doing well and keeping a good pace, until a man dressed in a Pooh Bear costume flew past me - true story. Events in life happen, for everyone. You have to run YOUR race, stay the course and finish strong. In the middle to end of each race it gets hard. Events happen that can derail your mental stamina requiring you to make a choice. You can dig in, dig deep and push through, or you can whine. Only one option will get you the results you want. Don't make a poor temporary choice that will have a negative long-term result.
Learning from the race course:
Your interpretation of the data makes all the difference.
I could have looked at Pooh Bear a couple of different ways. I could have felt defeated, thinking, "I can't even beat Pooh Bear?" I will admit, I did think, "Seriously???" for a moment as he passed. Then I changed my interpretation of the data and it wasn't about my performance as compared to his. My interpretation was a simple observation of his race and what I could learn from it. He intentionally set out to enjoy the event. No one puts on a Pooh Bear costume to run a 20k without intentionally thinking about enjoying the event. That thought caused me to just enjoy him at that moment. It would have been ludicrous to compare my race performance with his. Drawing comparisons with others in a defeating way is counterproductive and pointless. Everyone is running their own race with their own unique set of variables. Run YOUR race and let them run theirs.
Get a different perspective.
I posted my Pooh Bear experience on Facebook. I got a few responses back offering different perspectives. One encouraged me that at least it wasn't Eeyore that passed me. Another was that at least he wasn't running backwards. I had not considered either of these perspectives. If you find yourself in the middle of your life race getting bogged down in the minutiae, seek out a new perspective. Someone on the outside, not emotionally involved can help you think about life in a way that can change your entire world. At least once a month you need to hear yourself say, "Oh, I never thought about it that way."
Don't take yourself too seriously.
Find something in life that you really enjoy, and that isn't just about performance or results. Then figure out a way to incorporate that into your life mix. It will breathe life into your soul. Life is serious enough, you don't have to add to it. I can be an intense person (possibly an understatement). When I'm most intense, it's not fun for anyone. So running a 20k was good for me, and everyone around me. It provided an outlet for my intensity. I love events, the energy, the atmosphere, the comaraderie, almost everything. Sure I like to do well and finish strong, but I also enjoy the journey. Running helps me to not take myself too seriously, because when I'm on that course, I'm just another face in the sea of crazy people who think running far is fun. There will always be many faster than me, and hopefully a few slower than me.
Interpret your life data in a productive way. Never draw negative comparisons. Get an outside perspective if needed and definitely don't take yourself too seriously. Run YOUR race, and I will run mine.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kaylene_S_Mathews
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