Life Lessons from a Jogger

Jogging
An evening jog is a good exercise for those desiring to enjoy healthier lives. Photo Courtesy of Video Blocks

About a week and half ago, I decided to do an evening jog all the way home. It is a decision that took my energy and time to deliberate on before I swung into action. It is a fact that none of us doesn’t like subjecting themselves to ‘torture’ when there is comfort all around. Imagine running all the way with vehicles passing you by and you still got to hold to your guns and avoid the desire to flag one down for a ride. It takes lots of courage to overcome such a longing.

As I stood on my imaginary starting line, I shifted my mind to the end gain because I realized that by doing so, only then would l begin and finally finish my jog. It was a distance of about eight kilometers and being in the evening, I would definitely need extra motivation or so I thought. One I found by focusing on the end benefit; staying healthy.

Lesson one

So as you embark on doing anything, first focus on the eventual gain. Like you may have heard severally before, it is very important to start with a vision and mission of whatever you may want to do in mind. The vision shows you where you ought to be. The mission then takes you there. If you want to start eating healthy for instance, you may need to envision how you will want to look like in future and have it as a vision. Looking fit and not overweight could be a vision too. With that at the back of the mind you can then get yourself there by starting to eat healthy as time goes by.

Once I started the jog, I wanted to finish quickly. I started to run at a highly unsustainable pace and before long I was burning myself tired. At some point, around the first five minutes of high speed into the jog, I stood and promised myself to flag down a vehicle and board. I then realized I didn’t do my strategies right. I ought to have maintained a steady speed to get me going through the whole distance, something I immediately did and got myself on course again.

 Lesson two

In the journey of life, we may be pushed by the desire for instant gratification and get ourselves to loosing hope and letting go off our dreams. We ought to be quick decision makers so that we may get back on course soonest possible. Staying indecisive for long may lead us to loosing hope unknowingly. We are the first people who give our inner selves motivation and hope before we can get it externally from other people. Sometimes the external motivation may not be forthcoming or even be there.

Once I was back on course with my jogging, I keenly watched my pace so that I could manage it to the end. Every time I realized that I was over speeding, I quickly put my speed in check. This came in especially when I noticed that vehicles were speeding past me in terrific speeds and that I needed to catch up with them. But remember I am made of blood and flesh trying to race with vehicles using gas. It then clicked in my head that I needed to keep to my path. I and Vehicles are two different entities.

Lesson three

For those of us trying to race with our friends who are already there or have made some significant strides ahead of us, let us remember that we all have our own timelines. It makes sense to us if we stick to our time Zones. We have different abilities, talents and gifts. We have to use what we have to achieve what we can according to our abilities. If you have a horse, keep to the carriage way or else the vehicle will knock you down. If you decided to eat healthy, stick to your diet and avoid the lures of the guy seated next to your table scavenging on junk. Your objectives and his are very different from the onset.

About three quarters into my jogging distance, a Good Samaritan pulled over and requested he gives me a lift. This was heaven sent especially in this route where public vehicles are hard to come by and if one comes, chances it won’t stop because it is full are as high as the skies. I declined the good gesture because I was deeply rooted in achieving my objectives without any obstruction. This was the closest I came to aborting my mission of doing a jog the whole distance.

Lesson four

As I contemplated over my decision once my friend sped off, I discovered that in life we may have our visions and missions’ right but distractions may take us off the course. This was a very good luring distraction for me in my resolve for that evening jog. If I was running because I didn’t get a vehicle or that I didn’t have money for fare, getting a lift would be so perfect to me. Denying such a gesture as a lift especially when offered in good faith could be an abuse and end up demotivating the good people who are trying to give humanity the good reputation it ought to have.

So learn to follow your dream faithfully and be so super focused that you can avoid the strong allure of some distractions that may take us out of course. Remember distractions will always be there and it is upon us to muscle up against them.

Finally I made it to the last stretch that led uphill home and used my last reserve energy to cover it. I felt so great once I reached home and now that I knew I had achieved my resolve for that evening. It pays in many ways once you remain on course till you achieve your resolve. The greatest payment comes in the mode of self-satisfaction when you know that you managed to do what you purposed to.

My last word to you reading this is that if you remain faithful to your dream, you can achieve it. Be it looking forward to becoming a successful businessperson, intending to stay fit and healthy, be it resolving to build your relationship till you settle down and grow old together, to building your career or education; all that is achievable. This principles as well as others you learn in your unique journey will lead you there.

Get up and get going. And surely if you keep going, reaching your destination is assured.

End.

Copyright @ 2019

Geoffrey Ndege

Geoffrey Ndege

Geoffrey Ndege is the Editor and topical contributor for the Daily Focus. He writes in the areas of Science, Manufacturing, Technology, Innovation, Governance, Management and International Emerging Issues. For featuring, promotions or support, reach out to us at info@dailyfocus.co.ke
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