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Abstract

</p><ul><li>What would you like to accomplish? To run a certain number of times a week? To PR a specific race? To run in every state? On every continent?</li><li>Who would you become as a runner?</li><li>What impact would you like to make on other’s lives, or on your own?</li></ul><h2 id="b932">Question 2</h2><p id="73d2"><b><i>Spoiler alert: Debbie Downer is coming to the party.</i></b></p><p id="bbaf"><i>Imagine you go to the doctor for a regular check-up and you’re diagnosed with an incurable heart condition. In 3–5 years, you will not be able to run again.</i></p><p id="d7c6"><b>How does this change your relationship with the sport?</b></p><ul><li>Would this change your personal goals?</li><li>Would running (or whatever you’re thinking about) become more important or less important?</li><li>Would your focus shift at all? Maybe you want to use what you know to coach other runners? Maybe you want to travel more? Maybe you have an increased sense of urgency to accomplish the goals you had when you had your whole life ahead of you?</li></ul><h2 id="75ac">Question 3</h2><p id="2278"><i>Imagine you go to the doctor and he says, “I’m truly very sorry, but your condition has taken an unexpected turn. Your prognosis has changed and there’s only one year left to run. There are no other options.”</i></p><p id="903f"><b>How does this new development modify your 3–5 year timeline?</b></p><ul><li>Would this change your personal goals and your relationship to your running?</li><li>What impact might this have not only on your running, but on the other aspects of your world?</li></ul><h1 id="5b9f">What did we learn?</h1><p id="a280">For me, I know I ran a little harder today, with an increased focus on the moment. This was especially true during my hill repeats — they are short and strong, and I know that d

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espite being difficult, they’re making me a stronger runner.</p><p id="b633">I also took in more of my surroundings. I’m in a tiny seaside village today, and we are celebrating a rainy Carnival. On the one hand, I’m not sure that having so many people around is particularly wise given our current pandemic. But on the other hand, it was great to see so much joy and laughter. People are enjoying themselves, dressing up, enjoying the festivities, and being part of a community.</p><p id="9cd1">Perhaps today’s weather is a metaphor for what Coach Chris was trying to impart on his listeners. Life is short, and when conditions are not ideal (or what we want them to be) we still have the option to take part in what we choose to focus on.</p><blockquote id="ab0f"><p>What we choose.</p></blockquote><p id="637d">And these are the choices we must make. What do we value? How do we spend our time and energy when we only have a finite amount of time?</p><h1 id="2bf6">To conclude</h1><p id="4dd7">Take some time to think about what it is that matters to you, and ask yourself three questions to help you focus on those values:</p><ol><li>If I hadn’t a care in the world, what is your dream relationship with that sport, vocation, person, etc?</li><li>If you only had 3–5 years with that one thing, how would that change your relationship to it?</li><li>If you only had 1 more year with it, how would that change your 3–5 year plan?</li></ol><p id="a736">While most of us have more than a few years left, these are questions that can help us focus on how best to use the resources we have (or perhaps to find new ones?). I know as I get older (I will be 60 next year), I don’t have a whole life of running ahead of me, but I can make the most of the runs I have.</p><p id="2996">What changes might you make?</p></article></body>

3 Valuable Questions To Sharpen Your Motivation

How a running podcast made me rethink more than running

I listened to a short podcast from my running coach this morning during my warm-up. It was only about 9 minutes long, but it hit hard and I’ve been thinking about it all day now.

The premise is simple — ask yourself three questions about your running. In reality, these can be applied to anything: a different sport; your writing; your relationships; or your life in general.

The questions

Each of these questions has a little setup, a “what if” to ponder before you ask itself. The second two are not especially lighthearted, so if right now isn’t the time for a bit of serious introspection, have a look at Question 1, then give this a little bookmark and come back later. It will be worth the wait.

Question 1

Imagine you are completely taken care of. Your health is sound. You don't have to worry about your finances. You are happy with your career. Your family (however you choose to define that) and your relationships are solid. You have your whole life ahead of you.

How would you describe your dream relationship with running (or whatever you might be thinking about)?

What would you like to accomplish? To run a certain number of times a week? To PR a specific race? To run in every state? On every continent?
Who would you become as a runner?
What impact would you like to make on other’s lives, or on your own?

Question 2

Spoiler alert: Debbie Downer is coming to the party.

Imagine you go to the doctor for a regular check-up and you’re diagnosed with an incurable heart condition. In 3–5 years, you will not be able to run again.

How does this change your relationship with the sport?

Would this change your personal goals?
Would running (or whatever you’re thinking about) become more important or less important?
Would your focus shift at all? Maybe you want to use what you know to coach other runners? Maybe you want to travel more? Maybe you have an increased sense of urgency to accomplish the goals you had when you had your whole life ahead of you?

Question 3

Imagine you go to the doctor and he says, “I’m truly very sorry, but your condition has taken an unexpected turn. Your prognosis has changed and there’s only one year left to run. There are no other options.”

How does this new development modify your 3–5 year timeline?

Would this change your personal goals and your relationship to your running?
What impact might this have not only on your running, but on the other aspects of your world?

What did we learn?

For me, I know I ran a little harder today, with an increased focus on the moment. This was especially true during my hill repeats — they are short and strong, and I know that despite being difficult, they’re making me a stronger runner.

I also took in more of my surroundings. I’m in a tiny seaside village today, and we are celebrating a rainy Carnival. On the one hand, I’m not sure that having so many people around is particularly wise given our current pandemic. But on the other hand, it was great to see so much joy and laughter. People are enjoying themselves, dressing up, enjoying the festivities, and being part of a community.

Perhaps today’s weather is a metaphor for what Coach Chris was trying to impart on his listeners. Life is short, and when conditions are not ideal (or what we want them to be) we still have the option to take part in what we choose to focus on.

What we choose.

And these are the choices we must make. What do we value? How do we spend our time and energy when we only have a finite amount of time?

To conclude

Take some time to think about what it is that matters to you, and ask yourself three questions to help you focus on those values:

If I hadn’t a care in the world, what is your dream relationship with that sport, vocation, person, etc?
If you only had 3–5 years with that one thing, how would that change your relationship to it?
If you only had 1 more year with it, how would that change your 3–5 year plan?

While most of us have more than a few years left, these are questions that can help us focus on how best to use the resources we have (or perhaps to find new ones?). I know as I get older (I will be 60 next year), I don’t have a whole life of running ahead of me, but I can make the most of the runs I have.

What changes might you make?