Life is a marathon, not a sprint!
Yesterday I read an interesting article on my way back from work and have been thinking about it all of today.....The article was about "Work-Life Strategies that really mattered"....1 line struck a chord : "Life is a marathon, not a sprint."
Yes, life is long - mostly.
Sometimes, in our daily rush we tend to forget this and we allow momentary successes and failures to get to us. Life has taught me that both are not right. As they say, just as good times don't last, so do bad times.....
I remember friends and acquaintances from my childhood that did brilliantly in either academics or sports - they were role models then, much adored, but ultimately did not achieve much success in their careers or personal lives....I remember people from work who seemed to rule the corporates I have worked with but then somehow, slid down the ranks eventually and fell from grace....we see it all around us, don't we?
"Success" is very transient - even the definition of "success" differs from time to time, from situation to situation. So its important that we don't attach ourselves too much to any manifestation of this so-called "success" - enjoy it no doubt, because you must have worked hard to earn it, but don't let it define you too much. You have won the sprint - not the marathon that is life.
I have realized that in life, one needs to first define for one's self the finishing line - what really matters? Is it that dream job, that dream house, that ideal relationship, success at work, at home, bringing up successful kids, making a difference?
What would you like your finishing line to be?
We all need to ask ourselves and spend enough time visualizing and considering various options till we arrive at what seems to be "it" - what we really want to do. And when one thinks of finishing lines, one must always look broader - like with a wide-angle lens - so that there is a better perspective. Most of us leave this retrospection till late in life - sometimes, a bit too late, even ....but I believe its never too late to set yourself a goal, a dream, a target.
Once you have your finishing line more or less drawn up in your mind - set as your long term goal - a lot of smaller wins and losses fall into perspective. Early successes allow us to raise the bar and premature losses don't shatter our spirits. We understand what aids us to get to the end, what matters, who matters in the long run. This balance is so essential for a more peaceful ride and this balance is next to impossible if we don't step back and focus on the marathon, not the sprint.
Let's keep the right focus, friends. And make it all worthwhile.
Yes, life is long - mostly.
Sometimes, in our daily rush we tend to forget this and we allow momentary successes and failures to get to us. Life has taught me that both are not right. As they say, just as good times don't last, so do bad times.....
I remember friends and acquaintances from my childhood that did brilliantly in either academics or sports - they were role models then, much adored, but ultimately did not achieve much success in their careers or personal lives....I remember people from work who seemed to rule the corporates I have worked with but then somehow, slid down the ranks eventually and fell from grace....we see it all around us, don't we?
"Success" is very transient - even the definition of "success" differs from time to time, from situation to situation. So its important that we don't attach ourselves too much to any manifestation of this so-called "success" - enjoy it no doubt, because you must have worked hard to earn it, but don't let it define you too much. You have won the sprint - not the marathon that is life.
I have realized that in life, one needs to first define for one's self the finishing line - what really matters? Is it that dream job, that dream house, that ideal relationship, success at work, at home, bringing up successful kids, making a difference?
What would you like your finishing line to be?
We all need to ask ourselves and spend enough time visualizing and considering various options till we arrive at what seems to be "it" - what we really want to do. And when one thinks of finishing lines, one must always look broader - like with a wide-angle lens - so that there is a better perspective. Most of us leave this retrospection till late in life - sometimes, a bit too late, even ....but I believe its never too late to set yourself a goal, a dream, a target.
Once you have your finishing line more or less drawn up in your mind - set as your long term goal - a lot of smaller wins and losses fall into perspective. Early successes allow us to raise the bar and premature losses don't shatter our spirits. We understand what aids us to get to the end, what matters, who matters in the long run. This balance is so essential for a more peaceful ride and this balance is next to impossible if we don't step back and focus on the marathon, not the sprint.
Let's keep the right focus, friends. And make it all worthwhile.
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