Two days away from running the Twin Cities Marathon in Minneapolis, my second go at 26.2 this year, I’m feeling excited, anxious, nervous, and slightly terrified. Symptoms that I’m doing something crazy. Symptoms that I’m doing something right.
The butterflies I’m feeling right now. The inexplicable, undeniable array of emotions. The gut check. It’s there to remind me that I’m on the right track – that I’m doing something that matters.
The most dangerous path to walk down is the apathetic path – but like you, I’ve been down that path before. Going through the motions of my career, telling myself “it is what it is”, chalking up something as “crazy” as running a marathon as something I’d never be able to do.
I’m really, really good at letting my inner voice talk myself out of everything.
- “You’re not smart enough.”
- “Stop worrying about wanting more and appreciate what you have.”
- “You’ll never get any clients.”
- “You’re too fat.”
- “You’re crazy.”
- “You suck.”
But I’ve made many conscious decisions and have continued to set some pretty audacious goals for myself over the past few years – and as a now 26-year-old business owner and marathon runner, I’ve proven to myself that even though it may be incredibly more demanding and challenging – the only path worth traveling is not the one you’re supposed to travel, but rather, the one you give yourself permission to embark upon.
As I’ve said before, we all need to run a marathon…
- Maybe your marathon is opening a savings account for that dream business you’ve been waiting to launch.
- Maybe your marathon is starting a movement to raise awareness for a cause that really matters to you.
- Maybe your marathon is embracing your own faith beliefs, not those you’ve been told are correct.
- Or maybe your marathon is a marathon. Training your mind and body to overcome the impossible. Turning action into habit. “No” into “Hell yes!”
Deciding to “run a marathon” requires a bold step. But that arduous and overwhelming first step is what separates people who think, from people who try, people who act, people who believe, people who do.
That’s the thing about marathons (literally or metaphorically). They smack you in the face, kick you in the ass, make you feel like shit, but keep you coming back for more.
The same could be said for anything your doing right now that really, truly matters.
So today, as I mentally prepare for the 26.2 miles I’m about to run, I ask you:
“What marathon will you run?”
(PS. Please pray for me that my iPod doesn’t die this time – I don’t want to hum the Saved by the Bell song in my head for 17 miles like last time. Please and thank you.)