Morning Cup of Inspiration: Running the Race

Happy August!

This year is going beautifully. We are truly enjoying our walk of faith.

However, journeys, races, any trip from one place to another for any significant length of time, are not without incident. We get sick. We get tired. Stuff lands in our path and we stumble. Sometimes we fall.

When someone wins a race, or arrives at their destination, it doesn't mean that they didn't experience any difficulty. It just means that they rose above it, and conquered it. As you continue on in your entrepreneurial journey, consider implementing these tips to help you to stay on your feet.

- Pace yourself to limit burn out.

When I first started doing my morning runs, I ran like a mad woman and was in pain before I made it halfway around the track. After running one lap, I would have to walk around twice just to catch my breath and wait for some of the cramps in my side to subside. I slowed my pace to a jog and found that I could go around the track five times before I even thought about stopping.

If you exert all of your energy at the beginning of the race, you will probably tire out quickly, quit, and throw your hands up in exasperated exhaustion. Move along at a steady pace. Work towards your goals daily. Consistency is key.


- Focus on small milestones.

My thirty minutes of exercise in the morning just flies by. I never worry about how many laps I have left, or much more ground I have to cover. I focus on the little white lines on the track. I have a different goal after every few steps. Before I know it, I'm finished.

Many of us back away from a task because it looks too large to tackle. It might seem like a long way, and it might be. But there's no fun in focusing on the end. Enjoy the trip. Don't worry too much about ten years from now. Gratefully and joyfully complete the tasks for the day, knowing that each little step is one closer to your destination.

-Run another lap.

It's interesting. After I've been jogging around for so long, it kind of seems like my feet are moving on their own, and I'm able to sprint at the end...running that last lap as fast as I can. It's called a 'second wind,' and www.dictionary.com describes it as a renewed energy or strength to continue an undertaking.

After you've gotten used to the steady trot, and you're experiencing pure joy in just having the opportunity to take the journey, go ahead and let that energy carry you around one more time. Do something extra for someone. Stay a little later. Add another task to your list.

You can do it! Enjoy your faith walk!

Visit www.itsnotenoughtodream.com to learn more about how we encourage women in business and faith!