He was running down a dream

Do you know what is the real reward is when you get what you want? I didn’t always understand it myself, but in today’s story time I am going to share it with you.

And it’s likely not what you think.

This weekend I watched 50,000 people run the NYC marathon.  It was like watching one miracle after another pass by your very eyes.

Most of these people, including my friends Rich Binning and Ciara Pressler were running anywhere from up to 4, 5, 6, 7, and some 8 hours straight!

When was the last time you did anything physical for more than 4 hours at a time?

Never?

Me neither:).

(These were some pics I took of the gorgeous day. Proud to say the center pic of the feet was chosen for instagram blog collage. Pretty cool! Feel free to follow me @estutland.)

But, what I learned from training for my own 10 mile run last year is that running itself is actually NOT the hard part. (And by running, I am including a very light jog.)

Unless you have some serious injuries, most people CAN run for even a little bit.

My 69 year old aunt runs almost everyday at a pace most people walk faster than, but she is still running.

The actual PHYSICAL act of running is not all that different from walking. If you run really slow (and that is the BEST way to start training), you won’t be much more out of breath than if you were taking a soul stroll.

Your body is so much stronger, capable and more powerful than what you give it credit for and is fundamentally designed to move. Everyday. 

So what IS the bigger challenge of running (and frankly most of your life’s challenges)?

It’s getting through your own mental and emotional gunk each time you set out to do something you have never done before.

“My knee hurts.” “This is boring.” “I’m not athletic.” “How much longer?” “I am just not a runner.” Etc.

Overcoming your own personal hurdles and roadblocks is really where our biggest challenge sit.

And because of this, the real reward of accomplishing anything big, whether it’s running a marathon, going to your first yoga class or growing a multi-6 figure business, is not at all related to the THING you win or receive.

It’s not the money in the bank, the medal around your neck or the bragging rights you get for holding crow pose without falling on your face. 

In fact, it is almost never the THING you get that makes you cry like a baby or jump for joy for a like a 6 yr. old on Christmas.

Check out Rich’s emotional moment as he crosses the finish line. It’s truly amazing.

You can watch it here.

Rich’s tears are not just because he was exhausted. (Though that is part of it.) His tears are flowing in part from the fact that he just spent the last 4.5 hours, strike that, 6 months of training, overcoming his own mental, spiritual and emotional challenges.

One step at a time.

You see, it’s the person you had to become in order to succeed, that is quite possibly the biggest benefit you gain when accomplishing anything big.

This is the person who rose up beyond what even they thought was possible.

This is the person who believed when no one else believed, took actions when afraid and didn’t let that little tiny voice in their head stop them.

And this is NOW the person YOU get to be moving forward.

For the rest of your life.

Like, every. Single. Day.

Confidence now lives in your cells.

You see yourself in an entirely different light.

No one can ever take that away from you.

You will always be the person who… (fill in the blank.)

It’s all yours. Always.

And trust me when I say having that fill in the blank moment will give you the hutzpah and confidence to create other fill in the blank moments.

Cause that’s just how confidence works.

And frankly, that’s better than any money in the bank or medal around your neck.

It not the thing. It’s never the thing.

It’s who you became to get it.

Got it?

Now, I would love for you to come on over HERE, to the blog, watch Rich’s video and then in the comments, tell me about about ONE big challenge you overcame and what was the ONE thing you gained personally, that has served you in other areas of your life since?

I think it’s important to acknowledge that our challenges really do produce some outstanding opportunity for forward, running motion.:)

Love,
Erin