5 Hindrances to winning the race

My mother raised me a dainty child, so to this day, I don’t engage in any rough play or rigorous sporting activity. Still, I’ve run a few races in my time. Not the sweaty-run-in-the-sun kind of race, mind you, but the go-after-a-goal kind of race that everyone runs at some time or another. Not every race resulted in the success I anticipated and I walked away with the title of “also-ran” a few times.

We can make several analogies between how we run a race on the track and how we pursue our dreams or other goals we set for ourselves. One such analogy is made up of the hindrances that a runner should avoid if he or she wants to win the race.

See which of the following hindrances might be keeping you from starting right, staying the course and crossing the finish line.

GO!

1. The false start.

Too late – anxiety and hesitation. Some opportunities shoot up unexpectedly. And although we might have been hoping for such an opportunity to come our way, when it does, it throws us in a state of shock. We freeze and sometimes that momentary paralysis is enough to cause us to lose the chance to run the race that we dreamed of and planned for all along.

Too soon – On the outer side of the starting line, is the premature start. We are so anxious that we jump on an idea before the time is right or before adequate research or some other preliminary preparation. Not only does this throw us off our rhythm, it affects us negatively, as well as those who may be looking to us for encouragement to run their own races, chase their own dreams.

Sometimes that inner voice says, “Wait, not now.” But in our enthusiasm, we hear, “Go!” Usually, a false start results in feelings of embarrassment, jeers from our detractors, rejection, loss of support, loss of momentum, and discouragement. Of course we also have to face the consequence of starting over because we missed the opportunity to jump in and sprint forward at the right time.

1. Pulling up short.

A cramp is one of the most common reasons why runners pull up short. It is painful and debilitating. Life, like running is peppered with cramps or unexpected situations that cripple us causing us to pull up short and abandon the race.

Some of the unexpected life-cramps that stall our progress, our speed and our success can be avoided if we prepare for the race we want to undertake. Research, strategy and training, discipline, persistence and a success mindset are some of the prerequisites that help to strengthen our muscles to ward off cramps or at least to deal with them quickly and get back on track.

1. Looking around.

In any race, it is useful to know who and where our competitors are. However, constantly looking over our shoulders to see who is coming up the rare or nipping at our heels can cause us to lose focus, waste precious time, become fearful and ultimately, lose the race.

Don’t be fooled, you must know your competition, their motivations and their intentions. Keep up-to-date on new developments in your field of interest. But don’t allow the competition to dictate the size of your dream, your passion and your life. When you are sure that the path before you is the right path, you don’t have to fear who is coming behind or running parallel to you. Stay your course, keep your eye on the prize and run.

1. Quitting.

Have you ever seen someone run a beautiful race and crumble just before the finish line? It is sad. Physical and even mental complications can prompt the decision to stop running, to give up.

In life, quitting is not an option. Slow down if the pace becomes too hectic or take a vacation to replenish your energy. Even a sabbatical may be necessary to upgrade your skills and reassess your goals. Take a different path. But Don’t Give Up!

1. Casting blame after the race.

At the end of the day, it is fruitless to blame the coach, the judges, the track or your competitors. We have to shoulder the responsibility for our less-than-stellar performance if we do not secure any of the three prestigious places or even reach the finish line.

Embarrassment, disappointment and feelings of inadequacy may move us to deflect our own responsibility and lay the blame elsewhere. Parents, upbringing, the environment, lack of teachers, lack of support, no money, no time are only some of the areas that we count as being responsible for our loss.

In the grand scheme of things, when we choose to run a particular race, the buck of preparation and performance stops with us. Regardless of the input of other people and the prevailing atmosphere during training and running, the onus is on us to prepare spiritually, mentally and physically for the races we run during our lifetime.

Success in a race or life demands that we not only do what we should but that we avoid the pitfalls that can cause us to lose our place on the winners’ ramp. If you’re identified the hindrances that are keeping you from advancing to the finish life, hasten to heighten your alertness, strengthen your determination muscles, readjust your focus and don’t give up. Then, if perchance, you don’t quite make it, take responsibility for your performance and prepare to run the race again.

Define your shape

Do you sometimes feel as if you’re a square peg trying to fit in a round hole, or you are being forced? In any case, when we know our shape, it is much easier to find the hole where we will fit comfortably enough and still have room to grow. Initially, for expediency sake or because of some unforeseen circumstance, we may have to wedge ourselves in an ill-fitting hole. That’s life; things happen and we have to make the best of it.

Now, defining our shape can be a life-changing event., especially if all we have known so far is how to play the chameleon distorting ourselves to fit in holes of different sizes. Yet even as we shift and change with the passing landscape of people and situations in our lives, we realize that we are not comfortable. We don’t fit.

If you are ready to acknowledge your shape and find your corresponding hole, ask the following questions:

Who am I?

Frequently, all we know about our selves is what other people have said about us or told us to our faces. We’ve shaped ourselves based on how they treated us and then other people treat us on the basis of the shapes we adopted.

So, describe yourself. You are not alone if you hesitate but it’s a strange feeling isn’t it? It makes you wonder, “Do I really know myself?”

You don’t have to follow a chronological path. Begin with the present, the past or go back and forth. One memory may spark another, which might reveal a unique characteristic or a personal preference.

Far too often, we take for granted many of the things that are true of us and make us the unique humans we are. They fade into the forest of responsibilities and demands of our lives and consequently, we forget.

Give this stage the time and attention it deserves. Remember too, that a strong spiritual foundation is the bedrock of understanding who you are.

What do I want?

It’s the story of our lives, isn’t it? We get lost in the expectations of others and eventually, disconnect from our dreams. I know it to be true in my own life. I allowed other people to dismantle my goals and dreams and erect their personal visions for my life. Has that been your experience? Is it your reality today?

To some extent, I can understand parents or guardians doing this. Generally, they want the best for us and their best usually hinges on their own experiences as well as a lifetime of conditioning from society and the world at large.

We believed what they said or felt we had no choice but to acquiesce to their wishes. While some might have found their advice to be on target after all, others may still be thinking that their lives are not as full and purposeful as they imagine it could be.

Once you have discovered or rediscovered who your are, you may decide that you have gone as far as you can or want to, with someone else’s dream. If this is so, listen intently to the song in your own heart and sing. Crank up the volume and dance to the beat of your own drum.

How do I work?

Every day, someone has to do the work that needs to be done to ensure the timely delivery of products and services that make life possible and comfortable for countless others. Are you riding the “work train” knowing although your work is important, it doesn’t cater to, nurture or accommodate your shape?

It may be some time before employers begin pairing employees with the kind of work that suits their qualifications, experiences, natural tendencies and passions. So, meanwhile, create small diversions to ease the stress inherent in your job, do at least one thing everyday to feed your passion and nurture your creative interests.

Take 5 steps from chaos to stability

Whose life is not a mess sometimes, leaving them feeling out of control, helpless and afraid? These are not feelings we want to live with for too long. They cloud our minds and obscure our vision. They muddle our thinking and ruffle our emotions. And when we can’t think or see straight and don’t quite know what to feel and how to act, well, our lives can feel like one big mess.

If your life feels like a mess right now, stability may be just 5 steps away.

1. Know that you’re not alone.

You don’t have a monopoly on chaos no matter what form it takes. Although you might think you are, you are not alone. Once you ascend from this abyss, you are on the path to stability.

There is comfort and encouragement in God’s Word and prayer. He doesn’t give you more than you can bear. He gave you your cross and He will help you carry it. Plus, you can find ears to listen, shoulders to cry on and hands to help in your church community.

Your situation can seem small in the forest of other people’s troubles. You can find welcomed relief when you reach out to someone else who is struggling to stay afloat in their own sea of chaos.

2. Know what you’re up against.

We can work ourselves into a frenzy over a mere suspicion, perceived threat or premature anxiety. Of course there is always a chance that our perceptions may prove to be on target. But until we are sure, we could be wasting precious time stirring up a whirlwind of unnecessary worry.

You can’t fight a phantom and you are doomed to defeat, if you keep struggling with a confusing situation that you don’t understand.

Set aside any preconceived ideas. Become a keen observer of your own life and the issues or people that might be causing the chaos. Keep an open mind. Ask questions of people who can be objective, will be honest and have nothing to gain whether your are wrong or right.

3. Know your options.

What can you do about your chaos? Many times, when other people are involved in causing the upheaval and others are feeling the crunch like you are, it is difficult to come up with strategies that will resolve the matter amicably for everyone. But strategize you must. Whatever you do, try to be gentle with the persons who might be hurting and firm with those who are fighting you at every turn.

You don’t have to handle the problem by yourself either. Depending on the issue, you could call for back-up or an intervention by a professional.

Although you want to get to the end of this period in your life, work with short term goals. Even if you are not in a position to eradicate the confusion, you can still salvage some relief for yourself and those closest to you who might also be affected. Each day, or weekend, do one thing to alleviate the pressure and lift your spirits.

4. Know who your friends are.

I can’t stress enough the strength you can garner from the love and support of true friends. You don’t need a battalion of people around you spouting advice and drowning out the sound of your own thoughts.

True friends jump in the ring with you. They let you cry your “ugly cry” and shamelessly cry along with you. In their eyes you see, “I love you; I understand.” They open their hearts and give of their time and resources to help ease the strain you are going through.

5. Know when to let it go.

We are guilty of holding on so tightly to a chaotic situation that we miss indicators that it is time to let it go. After we have prayed, and analyzed and strategized, comes the time when we have to say that we have done all that we can do. We must let it go and shift our focus to rebuilding stability in our lives.

That decision doesn’t say that you are throwing in the towel and giving up in despair. Rather, it says that you know when it is time to stop fighting with the chaos in order to maintain your dignity, your sanity and reclaim some stability. Not everything has to be solved immediately and to your desired satisfaction. Very often you have to acknowledge a messy situation and let it go while you concentrate on keeping your life stable enough for you to function in your respective roles.

You life may seem to be made up of an endless round of chaotic situations, leaving you with barely enough time to catch your breath. The chaos may even appear to take on a life of its own making you feel like an outsider looking in on your own life. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Reclaiming stability in your life is not easy. It requires a mindset that says, “I trust God to see me through this. I will do everything that I can to keep going day by day so that I may emerge from this chaos a stronger person.”

If you are living with chaos and your life feels as if it is spinning out of control, it is time to replace the helpless and hopeless feelings with the calm of stability which may be just five steps away.