Have you ever been so close to hitting your goal, you can almost taste it?
Despite the fact that we can see it, obstacles can still get in our way.
That is how I felt during the tail end of a half-marathon I was running.
I suspect I was somewhere between the 19k and 20k markers when a police officer grabbed my attention.
Was my journey to the finish line going to be cut short?
Luckily, it was not.
The officer informed me that I was going to be the last runner to cross the finish line, so I better get moving.
It was a pretty cool experience having a police escort as I ran the last stretch of the race.
During this last leg of the half-marathon, with whatever energy I had left, I decided to push myself and just give it my all.
I had trained for months in all types of weather conditions so that I could have this moment.
As I pushed myself closer to my final destination, I could see my beautiful wife cheering me on.
She had been my biggest supporter during this whole endeavor.
She had even driven around with my mother to various spots on the route to cheer me on as I pursued my 21k goal.
And there she was at the finish line to congratulate me for finishing the race.
As I finally crossed the finish line, I could hear the applause and see the many proud faces of both family and friends.
I was both overjoyed and completely wiped out.
I did it.
I finished.
An interesting fact I would overhear as I tried to catch my breath was that while I was the last to cross the finish line, I had the biggest cheering section waiting for me at the end.
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That was 2012.
Many years have passed since that fateful day, but the lessons I learned stick with me to this day.
Growing up, I was the furthest thing from a star athlete.
I was the kid in gym class who would always get picked last.
I was the kid on the ice rink trying not to fall down while my friends were skating laps around the rink.
I was the poor sap who broke his nose in the outfield during a baseball game.
Since I had zero depth perception, I rarely found the ball in my glove, but the ball had no problem finding my face.
I was awkward and didn’t have a single athletic bone in my whole body.
Did I have critics when I said I was going to run a half-marathon?
Absolutely.
But guess what?
The past doesn’t matter.
Anyone can follow a game plan, set a goal, and run their own race.
Talk about your goals only with those who you trust. They can become valued accountability partners.
People of integrity expect to be believed. They also know time will prove them right and are willing to wait.
Small victories lead to bigger victories.
There will be others who believe in you, who will encourage you, and they will celebrate your victory with you. Listen to them and not your critics.
Don’t give in to self-doubt.
No matter what, don’t give up.
You can do it.
Set a goal, follow a game plan, and keep pushing forward.
My name is John, and I’m thrilled to introduce myself
I am a dedicated husband to my wonderful wife and a proud father of two amazing children. In addition, I am blessed to be a loving papa to four adorable grandchildren. These roles bring immense joy and fulfillment to my life.
Two titles i identify by, that tend to grab attention: Leadership Advocate and Storyteller. These two titles are closely intertwined and warrant further explanation.
To me, being a leader means being an effective communicator. I firmly believe that storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to convey a message and connect with others. A good leader possesses the ability to inspire and motivate through the art of storytelling.