Enduring the race, it’s one of the greatest challenges in life and leadership. Endurance is one of the most undervalued qualities in a person. It’s the ability to continue pushing forward when we just want to quit the race.
Enduring the Race
On June 4, I celebrated twenty-five years of service to the City of Acworth. A quarter of a century of my life, serving one community.
My story is relatively unique though. Born, raised, educated, raised a family, and built a career in. It’s a journey of ups and downs, peaks and valleys. It has required endurance to run the race.
We have all heard the timeless phrase, “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” I have used it as a source of encouragement to my friends, family, players, and those I am entrusted to lead over those twenty-five years.
Sprints are designed to take place at full speed for a short period of time. Endurance is not much of a factor in the outcome of these types of races. Marathons are designed for a slower pace, for a long period of time. It requires endurance.
I had the opportunity to hear leadership author, Jon Gordon speak today. He wrote one of my favorite books of all time, The Energy Bus. In his speech, he referenced marathons. He taught us that most people don’t quit in the first or last mile. He said, “The first mile, people just got started. The last mile, they see the finish line. Most people quit in the middle.” In fact, he specified the twentieth mile.
The word endurance has been on my mind a lot lately. Maybe it’s the season of my life or the milestone of my career? Endurance is rarely talked about outside of the sports world. I believe that it is an extremely valuable quality to possess.
So how have I made it twenty-five years in a tough profession? Great question! Maybe it is luck, but maybe it’s endurance. Here is what I think builds endurance in life and leadership:
Have a Slick Back
There is a fitness trend where people wear weighted vests while they run. It adds weight and makes the process of running harder.
You Can Count on Critics to be Mean and Nasty People. The weight of criticism can bring us to our knees. Especially the kind that is unwarranted. From ill-informed, spiteful people.
The old adage tells us to, “Have a slick back.” It’s easier to run the race carrying less weight. Carrying the burden of criticism only makes the process of running the race harder.
Build Sustainable Relationships
In life and leadership, we have seasonal relationships and forever relationships. Seasonal relationships are sprints. They have purpose in our races, they just aren’t enduring. They won’t get us to the last mile.
The relationships that matter are the ones that make it out of that season. The ones that extend past the need for each other in a particular time and place. They require balance, regular investment, constant attention, and mutual grace. They are the people that will run into our worlds when everyone else is running out. It’s an enduring love.
Be Selfless
Ever noticed a self-help section of a bookstore that features books on how to be more selfish? Me either! It has been built into our nature from birth.
Life and leadership are not about us. It’s about others. The people we love, the people we lead. The sooner we realize that, the more the finish line of the race makes sense.
I took another nugget of wisdom away from Jon’s talk today, “When you are selfish, your legacy ends with you.” This is so true. Running the race with endurance requires being selfless. A sacrifice of self that helps us make the entire journey, not just a part of it.
Prioritize Significance Over Success
I, just as most do, started my career seeking success. Trophies, accolades, awards, recognitions, titles, pay raises…you name it. Success is a temporary and short-lived feeling. It’s a sprint of an emotion, that vanishes as fast as it came.
I read a book around my fortieth birthday that had a profound impact on me. It’s called Halftime by Bob Buford. The book taught me that we will all have a halftime in life. Some experience it earlier than others. In that half time we realize that the first half was about success, the second half is about significance. Life becomes more meaningful after halftime. The pace of success is fast. The enduring pace of significance sustains us to the finish line.
Forward Focus
Just like a car, the windshield of life and leadership is bigger than the rear-view mirror. It’s easy to get Stuck in the rear-view. Our past that contains mistakes, failures, traumas, and regrets.
Forward focus keeps us moving in the direction of the finish line. It’s a mindset that allows us to keep putting one foot in front of the other in the toughest parts of the race. It moves us in the direction of finishing…and finishing well.
Conclusion
Life and leadership are tough businesses. They are full of twists, turns, and detours. The courses we planned to run aren’t always the one we experience. Flat terrain turns into rugged terrain. It all requires endurance to navigate.
I am grateful that God gave me the gift of endurance. It’s afforded me to be a part of something special for a long period of time. I’ve been able to attempt to give back to a community that has done so much for me. It’s a race worth running.
