A few years back, I surprised myself by getting into running and discovered something strange.
There’s a race for masochists down in Tennessee called ‘Big Dog’s Outdoor Ultra.’ It’s a four-mile loop that you run until everyone else drops out. This year , Courtney Dauwalter, ran 283 miles in just under 72 hours, non-stop.
Running an eternal loop seems crazy, but many competitors say it’s easier than running a ‘standard ultra.’ 2018’s winner said, “Because there’s no predetermined finish, you can’t think in terms of ‘how many miles do I have left? It’s always just the next loop, the next loop, the next loop. You’re never overwhelmed by what you have left to run because you simply don’t know.”
Strangely, setting a ‘finish line’ can be detrimental to growth, especially when you’re just getting started.
The best thing you can do is choose a direction and focus on putting one foot in front of the other; running today’s race as best you can.
Worry about tomorrow when you cross that starting line.