Day #2 in my Sports series. It also seems to be turning into a ‘John Wooden’ series since both quotes so far are by him.
I started coaching a beginning running group this week. Maybe that is why the sports idea popped into my head. I do know that my group includes many who are scared and nervous about running. Some are overweight, some are out of shape, some have never done any real exercise in their life, EVER. They don’t know if they can do it.
With each session we have a goal race at the end. In this case it is a 5k race in about 12 weeks. Many are worried they can’t do that. Guess what? They can’t….yet. If they focus on what they cannot do, run 3.1 miles without stopping, they are likely to feel stress, anxiety, nervousness, defeated, scared and overwhelmed.
However, if they focus on what they can do, which is to run this one training run, which includes walking intervals, less distance, water stops, training, coaching and support, then their fears will be much less. It is doable.
What is the huge brick wall you keep staring at that you can’t jump or climb over? What smaller hurdles are before it over which you can leap? In this case, I want you to turn that old saying, ‘Keep your eye on the prize’ upside down. I want you to take your eye off the prize and instead put it on only the next task in your journey towards the prize. Don’t worry, you know and I know you will NOT truly forget the prize. All you are doing is looking where you need to look for the task. You can do that and the prize will actually get closer.
Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden, 1910 – 2010, basketball coach
>I think that is a good thing, right Agnes? By the way, how was your Des Moines trip?
Anon, thanks for the addition to the idea. So many would get so much farther if they forgot about how far they have to go!
>This napkin blows my mind MArty.
>Each journey begins with a single step. You are right, Marty. If we see and work toward each small goal, we will eventually see the entire task accomplished and behind us. "Now what was so difficult?" we will ask!