A lot of humans have achieved extraordinary feats.
People have hiked to highest mountains, endured unimaginable tragedies, created technologies that have shifted culture, and broken records that were explained by science to be physically impossible.
“Doubt kills more dream than failure ever will.”
– Suzy Kassem
I ran 2.8 miles yesterday in the snowy trails around Grand Rapids. The runs were exhausting. Most of the run was spent finding my balance and trying to run faster until I walked. Trying to get the run over with turned my “pace” run into a weirdly sporadic “HIIT” run. Following that run I was happy with the consistency I have built to start the year and gave myself today off. Instead I went for a walk today. A long walk. Truly, a stroll so long that I began to wonder to myself.
Why did I even take the day off?
I wasn’t that sore. I had been in greater discomfort on the chaffing incident earlier this week. I gave myself a break simply because I felt like it. Here’s the rub. There is nothing wrong with breaks. That is the cultural moment we are living through. But what if the person you want to be has higher standards than that? Pushing yourself through complacency is where true growth happens.
“Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.”
– Marcus Aurelius
The message for today is have some standards. I didn’t meet mine today. Learn from this day and move forward. Maybe in the long run I’ll thank myself but I know tomorrow is another day to get after it.
13.7 miles down and 986.3 to go.
All the best,
Jake Gillett
Gratitude 
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