THE NEXT FEW WORDS are probably the most important on MTG. So please read the whole post!
Life = Jog
A while ago I was on my usual 5 km route around my neighbourhood when an unusual thought crossed my mind : Life is just a jog. Give it a minute or two. Let the thought marinate in your mind. No?
Yes, Pace it out.
In order to achieve your desired goal while jogging one should keep pace in mind. Fantastic, congratulations, well done. You ran your fastest 1 km but can you even finish the other 4? Or did you burn yourself out? You may be trying to accomplish far too much in your twenties that you simply lose sight of where you are going in life. I mean your jog.
Over-planning the route of a jog
Having a general sense of direction is essential for a jog after all you should not run around with no route. However if you over-plan and micro manage each step you take your chances of failing increase. This is simply because you over think it. Oh no I am not taking the corner at 3.12 seconds ACHHH! I passed the tree too soon! Your mental fatigue takes over and slowly drains and distracts you. Do not over plan your route this just strips the joy out of life. I mean your jog.
I have had the pleasure of interacting with a great deal of young professionals these past few years, all from different walks of life and all with the same flaw: over-planning (including myself). What happens if you are stuck behind some smokers while you jog or the road is closed due to construction? You will flip out because you did not plan for these externalities. Yes, build a general idea of what you want to accomplish in life/jog and how to best equip yourself for the journey. But please do not try to know what you will be doing on March 30th 2016 or January 12 2012.
With or Without you
When going on a jog the company you bring along is vital. They can help you to reach speeds never thought possible or act as an anchor and weigh you down. At first one should jog by yourself to better understand your own limits. Understanding where you are is crucial when trying to become better. However, jogging with people is not only more fun but also furthers your development. When I was training for the official 5 km my personal record (PR) was around 33 minutes. Surprisingly on the actual race is when I established a new PR: 31.054 minutes. My best came out that day, not despite being surrounded by thousands of people or enduring a new route but rather because of them.
In life you may save time by not having that many true friends. You may think people are just distractions or something to use for your own benefit but at the end of the day when you are on top of whatever dream you wanted. You will be alone. People around you can support your cause, clear your vision, and above all you can share your attributes/advice with them.
What happens when two good people genuinely help each other?
They become great.
Being miserable and happy takes the same amount of effort. Why not be happy?
So with every step you take Mind that Gap.
Don’t Die!
Go live… I mean jog.