Finish the Race

A thinking moment on one of my bus rides in Hanoi.

A reward moment. Don't quit and you will enjoy many reward moments along the way.

Words of encouragement for me.

As I thought of this month's Blog, I thought I would share some words that have been resonating within me recently. Actually a story...

Several weeks back I was listening to an encouraging talk on not quitting. Getting a "stick with it" type of attitude even in rough patches of life. In the talk, a story was shared that I had heard before BUT this time it just stuck with me. The story was about a runner in a race. It was something like the Olympics (not quite sure the exact type of race). The guy had traveled to a country that was not his own to compete in a long distance race. Hours after all the runners (but this guy) had crossed the finish line, this runner comes into the arena and crosses the finish line. He is clearly hurt and limping as he finishes his race. When he was asked why he had not quit like others had who were hurt, he simply stated, "My country sent me here to finish a race, not start a race."

Wow! It's not about 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc place...it's about having the gumption-the grit-to FINISH when everything (and everybody) says go ahead and quit!

I reflected on myself. When I figuratively fall down and scrape my knee; when I get slapped across the face with words of others; when I stumble on a stump of self-doubt and stub my toe--OUCH!!; when my heart sinks as I realize I just ran in the wrong direction for the last 20 minutes (or 20 years--oops!); when my breath gets knocked out of me as I trip on my own failures and fall flat on my face. What is my reaction...QUIT!!
IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT!!

Oh BUT it IS worth it! I realize the FINISH of the race is more important than the START of the race. Everyone starts the race but not everyone will finish the race. The prize and the satisfaction is in the finish. Getting back up and moving forward...staying in the race until the race is done...until the Finish Line is crossed.

So I have started saying...I AM A FINISHER!
How about you? What do you say?