I heard a conversation on a podcast recently about the idea of measuring an individual's potential as another way of determining a win. The competition would be based on who maxed out their own absolute running potential compared to others maxing out their potential, and it would be measurable. So basically, in my interpretation, what place you take crossing the finishing line would not be the only determinate of athleticism; how hard you work and leaving absolutely no stone unturned would also be a way to win, so to speak. This lit me on fire. I don't actually care if the research on how to measure that ever pans out, but the idea of it has a lot of meaning for me because that's what I know I need to do, and what I know I haven't done: I have not maxed out my potential. I have not turned over every stone. Not. By. A. Long. Shot. I do not know why this is so important to me, but I do know these two things: I'm supposed to do this, and I will know when I have.
I have two areas in my life where this mission applies--running and writing. Today is Day 50 of my Write the Wall challenge, a challenge I gave myself to write and post every day. It hasn't been easy and my other writing has definitely taken a back seat while I'm doing this. But I am doing it and it is changing something about my writing and my writing practice. My consistency and routine need to get dialed in with writing and running (how you do anything is how you do everything), but writing isn't quite as mentally challenging for me like running is. But in spite of all the physical and mental challenges that running has given, and maybe because of the challenges, I really do love it. And writing too. I love what I do. And without any expectation of the outcome, I want to get good at it. I just have this feeling that my pursuit of getting good at both of these things, me maxing out my potential in running and writing, holds some bigger purpose for my life.
Love what you do. Get good at it. It's a mission I can get behind. And I hope I have the grit to do it to its' fullest potential.