Maybe this is good enough

Professionally, I work in the change management and training development/delivery space. As part of any change management initiative I handle, I always share a reframing tool that helps people who are going through changes. Basically it’s a four square that looks a bit like this:

During my run this morning (because yes, I am still running), it occurred to me that I need to reframe my perspective on running (and the rest of it). I’m so goal oriented that it’s pretty much impossible to do something just because. I’m always looking for the point, the achievement or accomplishment. For running, the goal has always been to go faster and faster. But I’ve known for years that I’m not a fast runner, so I’ve had different, although still performance-based, goals.

For example, I’ve used distance as a goal (currently I run just under 3 ½ miles and as you might imagine, I had to work up to that distance), as well as running all hills without stopping. If you are not familiar with Kansas City, you might be surprised to learn that it’s quite hilly here and my run is no exception. I have a pretty good hill almost at the end of my run—it’s both long and kind of steep. I’ve written before about using difference houses along the way to mark my incremental improvement on running that hill. Now I own the hill and in fact when I drive up it, I almost always say or at least think “I own this hill.” Silly, but it works for me.

If I shift my perspective and think about running the way I do about, say, brushing my teeth, then my speed doesn’t really matter, or at least it moves down in terms of priority. I’m not trying to break imaginary speed records; instead I run for mental and physical health, and for greater lung strength. I can see parallels between those results and the reasons I am such a fanatic about flossing and brushing my teeth. I focus on consistently running when the weather allows, and finding some other aerobic activity when it does not.