Hi, this is Cheryl Knowlton, common at you with the next three and in the series of lessons and I have learned from running a half marathon or 12 half marathons. So, lesson number four, carry with you everything you need. Don’t be dependent on anyone else. I learned that the hard way when I did it half marathon in Moab, Utah.
Carry everything you need with you. Be responsible for yourself
I was my very first destination run and I did not have water bottles. I could not find my belt that have my little water bottles. I thought “Oh, I’ll just buy some when I get there. They did not have the kind of runners expo that I had had at my previous half marathons and, in my experience, I thought “Oh NO!” Nothing was open, so I thought “OK I’ll just use the aid stations.” It was the hottest temperature half marathon I have ever done. It was in March and I’ve done them in July, August and September.
It was absolutely terrible. I learned I will never ever repeat that mistake. Don’t rely on anyone. That’s a great metaphor in business. Be responsible for your own success. Carry what you need with you always. Have the tools that you need to be successful and don’t rely on anyone else to do that for you.
Look up and enjoy the beauty and goodness
Next one number five. Look up! So often I find myself plodding along, running along with my head down. Actually, that’s really, really, bad; not only for my posture but metaphorically so when you when you’re in the middle of your journey look up and enjoy the beauty around you and make sure that you make note and of all of the good things that are happening around you.
I had breakfast this morning with an amazing friend who feels like she’s frustrated with the fact that she’s not a little further down the road that she that she doesn’t have the title that she wants at her job, that this and the other. She said, “what’s wrong with me.”
I said nothing is wrong with you. You’re amazing. You’re at mile 10th of a 13.1-mile race. Just keep going. Look around. Look up and look at all the things that are going well. She sat there and thought you’re right. All of these things are really going really well. So, don’t forget to look up. Looking down is gonna throw you off balance.
Celebrate Milestones
Last one for today is celebrate milestones. This one is so important. It has its own chapter in my book Burn the Hamster Wheel. I have been so guilty of this throughout my entire professional life of setting this absolutely crazy ridiculous big hairy audacious goal. Then I’ll achieve it. I won’t stop and celebrate the fact that I did that amazing thing. I’m, like, “what’s next?” and then moving onto the next thing. And then I do feel like I’m on a hamster wheel, just running and running and I’m not going anywhere.
That is a key ingredient to burn out, for me. I have to stop and celebrate those milestones. My joke about myself, when it comes to races, is that I run for metals and hash browns. Ultimately, wouldn’t you know it, the certified speaking professional, the biggest designation I’ve ever gone for for in my professional life, ever, has a metal attached at the end. So yes, I started visualizing what it’s going to be like, how heavy it is how it feels.
I know the person that’s going to put it around my neck she started visualizing that as well. That is so, so, powerful. Please take the time to celebrate the milestones that you achieve in your career so that you don’t burn out. Kay, until next time, I will give you my next three!