Small Wins Become Big Wins
Remember when I mentioned I went RUNNING?
For real … running … and not just because I was in a hurry to be somewhere on time!
Well, running is no longer just a thing I tried to do. I am doing it. And I think I might be hooked.
You see, two months ago was when my son Sam took me out for my first run, and I thought, “Oh, sure, a mile? That’ll be no sweat.”
Of course, it was actually a LOT of sweat. And I couldn’t finish that mile, which was pretty embarrassing and made me determined to try harder.
Since then, Sam’s been coaching me through all the ups and downs. He was cheering me on when I couldn’t finish that one-mile run two months ago. (“You can do it, Mom!”) He kicked me in the pants through ALL the practice miles we ran with the dogs to train. (“Come on, Mom! You should be faster by now. Keep going!”) He has been such a blessing to me on this sometimes-literally-uphill journey.
Last week we logged our 60th mile running together.
This past weekend, we ran the “Rotary Ugly Christmas Sweater 5K”. I’m proud to say I actually ran the whole 3.1 miles and ended up placing 20th in my age group!
And I couldn’t have done it without Sam. When we were about 2.5 miles into the race, I told him that he could go ahead of me. I didn’t want to slow him down. But in true coaching form, he said “No, mom! I want to make sure you don’t give up!”
Cue the tears … which I had to swallow back because it was below freezing and I didn’t want my face to be a frozen, wet mess at the finish line! But trust me when I say my heart squeezed hard when I heard those words.
Sam and I crossed the finish line together to the cheers of our family, which is a moment I’ll never forget. Spending this time with him and having his support has meant the world to me. If you would have asked me six months ago if I would have taken up running and completed a 5K, I would not have believed it was possible. But here we are!
These past couple months have truly been a series of small wins that led to this big one. There was that first mile, then a little more, and little more after that. Each time Sam and I logged another mile of practice, I felt another little nudge of encouragement. Each time I took the dogs for a run and thought about cutting it short, I would hear Sam’s voice in my head telling me to go, go, go.
I think ALL of our goals are a lot like this; we don’t reach the big wins alone. And we don’t achieve them without the small wins along the way. We experience little mile-markers that tell us we’re on the right track and we keep going. And if we’re fortunate enough to have a coach on the journey, we’ve got them prodding us along too!
To me, this 5K was a perfect example of how I can approach other big goals. I’ve got to seek out expertise, ask for guidance, push through the hard stuff, and keep taking the small steps needed to make progress. I’ve got to put in the work, but I also need the encouragement and accountability from others.
And so I ask you, what small wins are you working on right now?
Who have you got cheering you on, and how are you tracking your path to the big win?
Whether it’s a 5K or something else, I wish you the best as you conquer those small wins. And, if you are looking for a coach on your business journey, now is the time! We have just 25 spots left in More Than Just Great Dancing® … join us and we can achieve our goals together!
Love, Misty