Life is Not a Marathon
In November, I ran my first marathon.
While I always ran, I never felt the need to have an external goal. I told myself I was more internally motivated.
That was a nice way to kid myself.
In truth, I was scared of the commitment.
I like running when it’s warm. I was afraid I wouldn’t be motivated to run on cold and rainy days.
Like in so many areas of life, the comfort of my situation created compelling narratives to keep me complacent.
I have good internal motivation, but sometimes, we need others to get us out of our way to show what we’re capable of.
For me, it came in the form of my brother-in-law committing to the Philadelphia Marathon.
Once I heard that, I thought if there was ever a time to do it, here it is. So, in August, I began training.
I thought forcing myself to run would make me enjoy it less, but with running for a purpose, I liked it more.
It was fun to have a goal and work towards it. After each run, there was an extra feeling of accomplishment, especially on rainy days when no amount of internal motivation would have gotten me outside.
For inspiration, my new YouTube obsession became running and ultramarathon vlogs. Watching someone complete a 100-mile race made me feel that 26.2 wasn’t so bad.
I loved the training and was happy with my performance of 3:44. While it got uncomfortable, I didn’t hit the “wall” many runners describe.
Sweet success!
It only took me a few months to prepare, so it begs me to ask, what can I do in a few years?
How much progress can I make with consistent effort over time?
Could I run a 100-mile race?
When you train for a marathon, you build an endurance foundation, or what runners call your “base.”
From watching so many YouTubers, one thing is clear: It takes YEARS to build endurance.
You can’t rush toward success any more than you can force a tree to grow. It takes consistent effort and energy to build muscle and aerobic capacity.
You hear life/business is like a marathon, but that’s BS.
You can hack a marathon and get it done in a few months, just like I did. However, will I still be running ten years later? Only time will tell.
Some people get quick traction in business. Maybe they went viral. Maybe they became a coach in 2021, the gold rush of online coaching—but will they still be here when the well draws out?
Forget a marathon; living your purpose is like training to become an ultra-endurance athlete.
You first need years to build a foundation. You need races (experience) to know what the heck you’re doing.
You need to fail, get sick of it, want to quit, and then push through to see how much you want it. Then, when you breakthrough and “make it,” you appreciate it even more.
How do you build a foundation?
Like logging your miles, you must show up each day to put energy toward your dreams. It doesn’t have to be 8 hours. A daily hour over the years compounds.
This is the type of business and impact I’m interested in—one that is as deep as it is wide. One that enjoys Slow Juicy Growth.
Slow Juicy growth is what The Meraki Meditation Creators & Coaches Mastermind is all about.
Members find their work a labor of love and have no interest in hacking success.
Joining a mastermind is about developing the habits and mindset, so you have the endurance to do what you love ten years later.
As one of our guest teachers, Darius Bashar put it—Legacy Over Virality.
Our beta launch ends in January. It’s been sooo fun watching people support each other in doing the work they love.
We’re just getting started…
Are you a wellness practitioner, teacher, coach, artist, creator, or spiritual guide?
Want to join a community to help you sharpen your skills and build the foundation for your business to thrive?
Send me an email, and I’ll put your name on the list for when doors open back up.
Here’s to the long game (or run).
Thanks for coming along to the life-ultramarathon with me.