I enjoy exercising. Mainly at this stage of life I exercise to manage my eating addiction. I kind of like food . . . especially sweets. I do not enjoy running though, but I occasionally run for about 20 minutes. One day I got up and wanted to get my workout done without going to the gym so I could return home to help my wife before getting work done so I went on a run.
When I run I do not want to hear myself pant so I usually have my music with me. Less than five minutes into the run my music was not accessible. Oh, I forgot to tell you that while I was running there was a light drizzle which was tolerable.
Light drizzle, no distraction of music and then my cranky right knee starts to ache. I wasn’t far from the house I could have turned around and quit, but I am stubborn and I like my desserts. I continued slowly plodding along and then I turned the corner and the drizzle was now blowing in my face and extremely annoying.
At this point I am starting to ask myself why I am doing this when I could have gone to the gym and used the elliptical in dry conditions and been distracted both by my music and a book. (Yes, I read when I am on the elliptical) At this point I am halfway through and I just keep running.
I turn another corner so the rain is no longer blowing in my face and I am nearing the part of my run where I give my joints some relief by running in the grass. I contemplate staying on the concrete and asphalt, but I don’t. I take my first step in the grass and squish. My socks are now soaked, I am getting wetter by the moment and am miserable just wanting this run to be done.
Since I have nothing to do other than think I start to ponder how this experience relates to leadership. . . I know I’m strange. When we lead we may have an idea of what we are getting into. We may start with great enthusiasm and have all the tools or we may start with faith entering into the unknown.
No matter how we start, trials and challenges will come. Leading a family we don’t know what tragedies big or small are going to hit our family emotionally, physically, socially, economically or anything else. Leading at work we don’t know what obstacles will prevent us from closing the deal, advancing the cause, helping people work at the highest level, etc.
As a leader at work or home we all have a choice. Even within the first five minutes of my run I had to choose will I persevere or quit? There has been a slowdown at work and we are experiencing increased pressure to perform, persevere or quit? The business you are building is not happening as quickly as you want, persevere or quit? Our marriage hits a bump, will we persevere or quit? Raising children is not as easy as anticipated: persevere or quit?
A man who was living for a great cause had great adversity on his journey and he said in part “I will press on toward the goal . . . “ Will you press on, trudging through the difficulties to ultimately accomplish the goal? I hope you do so that you can realize your full potential.
By the way . . . when I did finish I felt a sense of accomplishment . . . so now I could eat dessert later.
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