Thoughtful Tuesday: One Foot In Front Of The Other

This is the basic principal of life...one step at a time...take things in...learn...adapt...overcome.

Don't try to cheat your way to things or hurry them on by taking leaps or shortcuts...you'll just find that you forget something or that you fail in your quest and won't 'try' again.

I want to give you an example of how I practice what I 'preach' lol


7 years ago, some friends of mine told me that I would not...could not...run a half marathon...to be honest...neither did I!!!  But it got me thinking...'who were they to tell me I couldn't do it?'  I didn't think this in a nasty way...more...annoyed at myself for being defeatist...that I hadn't even attempted it nor made the effort to looking into what it takes to complete a half marathon.

So...in the heat of the moment...I told my friends that I would do it and signed up there and then!!! what had I let myself in for?  Well...only one way to find out...and that is to find a training program...now...considering that the half marathon was only 8 weeks away...I needed to find a program to follow that would get me fit enough in time to do the run.  I searched online and found one...stuck to it...with a 2 week break in the middle for a knee injury...leaving just 6 weeks total training!!!


So how did a 15 1/2 stone guy that had done virtually no serious exercise since school other than playing golf...achieve this not so simple task?

I put it to you as simply as I can...I put one foot in front of the other....and did so until I could no more...then the next time I ran...I did the same...again and again...further and further until my initial 2 mile run turned into 5,7,9,11 miles!!! and on to eventually complete the 13.1 mile half marathon.

Did I break any records??? eeerrrrm no...but what I did achieve was something much more fulfilling...more than just completing the distance...I had proved to myself that nobody but me is in control of what I can and cannot achieve...

I sit here today...proud to say that I have now completed 5 half marathons in total since that day (2 at Silverstone and 3 in Nottingham)...and will be starting my training for my 6th later this year.

So what's my message here...is there one... or am I just telling you about one of my successes?  

My message is this...

If you want to achieve something...no matter how big or small...plan it...understand it...but more importantly...break it down...put simply...when I was training for my first half marathon, I didn't focus on the 13.1 mile goal...that was just to daunting.. I focussed my efforts, thoughts and attention to each individual run leading up to it and didn't jump ahead.

I started out with a 2 mile run...did that 4 times a week, but all I focussed on was completing 2 miles...running...then walking...running then walking...I then moved on to 4 miles...focussed on that...and slowly built up the distance...thinking to myself...well it's only 2 miles more than my last run...run for longer this time before stopping...until I managed to run the whole way without stopping...again and again...building up the distance gradually, building up my confidence...my self belief...getting stronger and stronger.

And it's with this attitude that I go through life...I don't focus on the end net result in what ever it is I am working towards...I tackle each step...one at a time...putting one foot in front of the other...until...eventually...one day...you're up and running...quite literally in my case!!!

How can you bring this approach into your life?  If, for example, you want to be a professional painter & decorator there's no point in focussing on that end goal of sitting there peacfully painting a building...when you have no idea what it takes to make it happen, how to mix paints, where to buy it, how to prepare the surface correctly before applying paint, what tools you'll need, where are the local suppliers...etc...etc...so much to know...but don't let it daunt you...keep a notepad to hand, write down everything you can think of that you believe to be involved...how about talking to someone in the industry...everyone knows someone who knows someone that is a painter and decorator...so ask!

Study the craft...break it down...what is it going to take...I'd imagine it would start something like this...

Do I have enough time to study?...how do I know how much time I'll need unless I research how long the courses are, where they are, how long the classes are...how much do they cost...what happens next once I complete that course? Is there an advanced course...how long is that? etc, etc, could I tag along and help out like an apprentice with a qualified person?

So I close with this...gather your facts...how can you say no to something until you know what you're saying no to?  Understand what it is that you're going to have to put yourself through in order to become qualified...make a plan...write it down...each step along the way...chart your course...insert check points to make sure you're still on track...if not...learn where you went wrong or what got in the way...alter and update the plan... but don't give up...simply put one foot in front of the other...and see how far it takes you...I guarantee...it'll be a long, long way!