It's Hard. So What? Do It!

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19 Hard Things You Need To Do To Be Successful

By  Dan Waldschmidt, international business strategist, speaker, author, and extreme athlete.  His consulting firm solves complex marketing and business strategy problems for savvy companies all over the world. Dow Jones calls his Edgy Conversations blog one of the top sales sites on the internet

You have to do the hard things.
You have to make the call you’re afraid to make.
You have to get up earlier than you want to get up.
You have to give more than you get in return right away.
You have to care more about others than they care about you.
You have to fight when you are already injured, bloody, and sore.
You have to feel unsure and insecure when playing it safe seems smarter.
You have to lead when no one else is following you yet.
You have to invest in yourself even though no one else is.
You have to look like a fool while you’re looking for answers you don’t have.
You have to grind out the details when it’s easier to shrug them off.
You have to deliver results when making excuses is an option.
You have to search for your own explanations even when you’re told to accept the “facts.”
You have to make mistakes and look like an idiot.
You have to try and fail and try again.
You have to run faster even though you’re out of breath.
You have to be kind to people who have been cruel to you.
You have to meet deadlines that are unreasonable and deliver results that are unparalleled.
You have to be accountable for your actions even when things go wrong.
You have to keep moving towards where you want to be no matter what’s in front of you.

You have to do the hard things. The things that no one else is doing. The things that scare you. The things that make you wonder how much longer you can hold on.

Those are the things that define you. Those are the things that make the difference between living a life of mediocrity or outrageous success.

The hard things are the easiest things to avoid. To excuse away. To pretend like they don’t apply to you.

The simple truth about how ordinary people accomplish outrageous feats of success is that they do the hard things that smarter, wealthier, more qualified people don’t have the courage — or desperation — to do.

Do the hard things. You might be surprised at how amazing you really are.

 Bring on the hard things, 2014!  I'm game.

Hello 2014!

What better way to start the new year than with a race-- the Resolution 5K in Leesburg. It was a cold but pretty run on the Movren Estate, with a few hills thrown in to keep us on our toes. My ankle tendon cooperated and I managed to average an 11:48 pace.

Speaking of pace....These first few months of 2014 will be all about getting faster. I signed up for the MCRRC's speed development program, which consists of track practice during the week and a long run on the weekend. Last winter's trail running program was a blast, but not a good option for someone working on speed.

I'm not big on making New Year's resolutions, but this being a new year and all, I suppose a few goals are in order. So, here goes:

1. Run a sub 31:00 5K by April
2. Bay Swim Redemption!
3. Be able to do 3 pull ups by June
4. Can Lake 50K-- finish while the sun is still shining!

In keeping with all the miles of suffering ahead, I'll wrap this up with a quote from Ultramarathon Man Dean Karnazes: 
 
"Our ultimate calling is not to arrive at the finish line in a composed state, but rather to stagger in breathlessly, totally annihilated and on the verge of collapse, proudly knowing in our hearts that we have run our race, and it was glorious. Whether you end up with a medal being placed around your neck or an IV line being placed in your arm, the inner bliss is the same. You have waged your war and you have emerged victorious. You are content. If you are never to take another step, you will forever remain satisfied. The job is done.  That is, until the next one..."
                                                                                                     
And there will always be a next one.  Cheers to 2014!!