Why Are You Running?

[Guest guest]

Why Are You Running?

Published December 16, 2009 Uncategorized 6 Comments

Out on the trail for a long run – my mind bounces from thought to thought; seemingly unguided at times, wandering through every facet of who I am – ideas, inspiration, contemplation, reflection, plans, consideration, observations, prayer….marriage, family, work, successes, failures, opportunities, God…yesterday, today, tomorrow, forever…I love my long runs.

Purpose

Recently on my long run, I was challenging myself with the question of, “why do I run?”  What is at the heart of this “race” I participate in?  Is it my health?  Fear of aging?  Competition?  Vanity?  What is it that motivates me to plan out the time, face the elements, suffer through the aches, and make myself downright uncomfortable at times? 

Quickly my mind changes, focusing on my work/job.  Why do I get up in the morning?  What is at the heart of this thing that I do with the majority of my time every day?  Do I know why I do what I do?  Do my co-workers know?  Do we have a purpose?  Are we making a difference, or just making money?  Are we inspired, or indifferent?

With little hesitation, my psyche shifts to my spiritual life.  I claim to have deep conviction and passion about WHO I believe in, and the difference HE can make in my life and the life of others; does my life reflect that?  What really drives me?  Is it Love?  Conformity?  Gratitude?  Fear?

My consciousness sensing that it is “on-a-roll,” with this question of purpose, swings to my marriage, then to my children and grandchildren, next to my blog, to my music, friendships, volunteer activities…..ahhhhhhhh!

Why do I do the things I do?  Why do I enter and run the “races” I run?

Sometimes that question is easy to answer – my wife, my children, my grandchildren…I love them.  Not that I don’t screw up some times (many times), and let my own selfishness trip me up.  But, overall I am driven by my love for them.

Yet, in many areas of our lives, we struggle to answer the question of purpose.  Without a clear understanding of “why,” we can waste a lot of time and effort on activities that bear no fruit, or we can find ourselves sitting on the sideline, or walking instead of running, because we have no motivation to run an aimless race.   

Directionless

Imagine showing up at the starting line to run a marathon in the city of New York without any indication of where the finish line is located.  No signs, no mile markers, no volunteers to guide you.  All you know is that the finish line is 26.2 miles away. 

How many extra miles will you end up running to find the finish line?  How many additional hours will you spent trying to make your way to the tape?  Will you even find the end?  Will you stay motivated enough to continue on, or will you eventually quit? 

Eventually your run becomes a jog, your jog becomes a walk, and then you stop.  You try to start running again, but with no idea how to reach the finish, you slow down, and then stop again.  You pick back up and run every once in a while, because “you’re supposed to,” or, it’s the “right thing to do,” not because you have purpose or direction.   Soon, even though you may jog slowly once in a while, you’ve forgotten what you even signed-up for.

Does this reflect your job/work?  Your activities?  Your Spiritual walk?  Your life?

We need purpose

Purpose determines how you spent your time and energy.   Purpose is the driving force of why you do what you do.  Purpose gives direction; it gives guidance.  Purpose creates passion.  It answers the question, “is this the right thing to do?”  Purpose gives you stability in turbulent times.  Purpose leads to high performance.

Want to move mountains?  Withstand the storms?  Create vision? Find your purpose!

Run for the Prize!