Five Hindrances to Winning a Race

In any race, it is useful to know who and where our competitors are. However, constantly looking over our shoulders to see who is coming up the rare or nipping at our heels can cause us to lose focus, waste precious time, become fearful and ultimately, lose the race.

Don’t be fooled, you must know your competition, their motivations and their intentions. Keep up-to-date on new developments in your field of interest. But don’t allow the competition to dictate the size of your dream, your passion and your life. When you are sure that the path before you is the right path, you don’t have to fear who is coming behind or running parallel to you. Stay your course, keep your eye on the prize and run.

Have you ever seen someone run a beautiful race and crumble just before the finish line? It is sad. Physical and even mental complications can prompt the decision to stop running, to give up.

In life, quitting is not an option. Slow down if the pace becomes too hectic or take a vacation to replenish your energy. Even a sabbatical may be necessary to upgrade your skills and reassess your goals. Take a different path. But Don’t Give Up!

At the end of the day, it is fruitless to blame the coach, the judges, the track or your competitors. We have to shoulder the responsibility for our less-than-stellar performance if we do not secure any of the three prestigious places or even reach the finish line.

Embarrassment, disappointment and feelings of inadequacy may move us to deflect our own responsibility and lay the blame elsewhere. Parents, upbringing, the environment, lack of teachers, lack of support, no money, no time are only some of the areas that we count as being responsible for our loss.

In the grand scheme of things, when we choose to run a particular race, the buck of preparation and performance stops with us. Regardless of the input of other people and the prevailing atmosphere during training and running, the onus is on us to prepare spiritually, mentally and physically for the races we run during our lifetime.

Success in a race or life demands that we not only do what we should but that we avoid the pitfalls that can cause us to lose our place on the winners’ ramp. If you’re identified the hindrances that are keeping you from advancing to the finish life, hasten to heighten your alertness, strengthen your determination muscles, readjust your focus and don’t give up. Then, if perchance, you don’t quite make it, take responsibility for your performance and prepare to run the race again.