Run Your Own Race

I saw some posters about the Paralympics and the wordings on it said ‘it would be rude not to stare’. Most of us have been taught that it is rude to stare.

I love the play on words on these posters as it’s calling our attention to the fact that we are all the same regardless of our abilities or disabilities.

In the same way that we would gladly stare when watching the Olympics, why wouldn’t or shouldn’t we stare when watching the Paralympics? We sometimes need disruptions to challenge our views and mindsets. In this case, we are given permission and encouraged to stare.

Many of us don’t need a reason to stare and many will stare regardless of whether or not it’s appropriate to do so. The most important thing to remember is to run our race regardless.

Those competing in the Olympics and Paralympics are not focused on the audiences; they might entertain them for a few seconds but once they get ready for their race, they only have the finishing line in sight.

We all have our own races to run and we are surrounded by audiences. Some will stare, some will pay us no attention, many will pretend to watch, a few will pretend to care and some will not be concerned at all.

The only thing that should matter to us is to run our race with diligence and focus. For those who care enough to watch, let’s give them plenty to see and celebrate.

So what should we do about our own races?

Find your sport

Can you imagine training your whole life for the wrong race? Or showing up for an event that isn’t the one you trained for?

These are mistakes that we sometimes make. We apply for courses or jobs that we aren’t passionate about, base our plans on others or to emulate them, or make big life decisions because we are afraid to lose friends.

Without meaning to or realising it, we might find ourselves running someone else’s race as we align to their plans.

I love the quote that says, ‘She silently stepped out of the race that she never wanted to be in, found her own race and proceeded to win.’ Unknown

Find your own race and run to win.

Preparation is key

As news of medals came in, parents of athletes were interviewed and many told stories of their children’s dedication, commitment and devotion to honing their crafts.

They showed up early at the tracks or swimming pool, they practiced in their backyards when they couldn’t go out and no day was exempt.

The one thing they didn’t do is take their preparation for granted so it’s no wonder that medals are won.

Show up fully

In recent sporting events, we heard of top athletes pulling out for the sake of their mental health. Some were at the peak of their careers, had no injuries and could have performed well but they recognised when something was missing or wrong. More importantly they listened and responded appropriately.

They understood that they couldn’t afford to win at the risk of something more important. So showing up fully isn’t about forcing yourself to show up; it’s about having every intention to show up fully and recognising when you’re unable to do so.

Give it your best shot

Sadly regardless of how much athletes prepare, there can only be one gold, silver or bronze medal winner. Someone will take the fourth and remaining positions.

So how do they handle or bounce back from disappointments? A comment that many athletes make in their post-race interviews is that they gave it their all. This makes the pain of disappointment a bit more bearable.

They focus on what they could have done better or differently and take these lessons into the future races. We can take a cue from them. We won’t win every time but we must be resilient enough to take the lessons and fight another day.

Your assignment this week is to assess your races – are they the right ones? Are you preparing well? Are you showing up fully and can you handle it? What do you need to do differently? What help do you need and from whom? Follow up on your answers.

Thanks for reading and sharing my post with others. See you next week.