I wrote something in my last post that I wanted to take a few steps further.
There had always been a disconnect with running (and let me tell you that running was the entire piece of any triathlon puzzle for me). It always seemed so hard (and still does), but building slowly and being a part of a group tricked me. I have always been athletic and while I never saw myself as a runner, others did and I started to believe.
Whether it’s sports or art or music or business, we all have interests that seem to keep popping in our heads, and, at least with me, the reason I am slow to dive in is because I don’t really believe I can do something. It’s like we have to prove it to ourselves. That we are not only capable, but worthy of what we seek and desire.
I could walk around my office and ask 50 people what their dream is, and I bet over 40 would say something other than they are doing. But why? Why won’t they (we) go after true passions in life?
It’s no different in team sports. Some teams just believe they are going to win. But how did they get there? By jumping in the fire. Playing out of their league. By winning. And winning can be defined however we want.
We label ourselves and that becomes who we are. “What do you do?” “I’m a marketer . . .I’m a garbage man . . . I’m an accountant.” But really? Is that who you are?
I have always had a problem with that question. Yes, for my daily job, I do marketing, but I am so much more than that. I’m guessing you are too. I have known a lot of people who say and live as photographers, artists, or doctors, who, quite frankly, aren’t that good at what they do. The difference is, they believe it and keep doing it. When you honestly live that life, you gain confidence and get better whether you like it or not. Triathlons are no different.
When did you finally feel comfortable saying you were a triathlete? After the first race? The second? Have you admitted it yet? Does it define you?
There has always been a nagging voice inside my head that says, “You can do anything you set your mind to,” and while I trust that voice, I don’t always believe that voice. Triathlons (running and swimming in particular) have slowly changed my tune. My real passion is to be a creator and writer and film maker or something in those realms, and I’m moving toward the edge of that cliff and building confidence to dive in. In short, all of this training and all of these races and support have rekindled my faith. Faith in the right path, faith in myself.
We tend to ignore time, but it’s always there ticking away in our subconscious. We say we’ll go after that dream tomorrow or next Saturday when have have all day to work on it. But if we have a true passion in life, we really have no choice but to start now or it will pre-occupy days, nights and weekends that never show up. We can do whatever we want, we just have to prove it to ourselves and believe.