The single biggest reason I have seen that people fail to
reach their running goals (and maybe just goals in general) is that they fail
to align their life with their goals. Most
people, especially runners, are good at defining a set goal of some type, but
then many of them drop the ball by not aligning their life in such a way as to make
that reaching that goal possible, or by not choosing a goal that fits within the hard
constraints they have in their life.
If your life and goals are not aligned, then
you repeatedly set yourself up for disappointment and frustration. But if you do align your life with achieving
your goals, then it may only be a matter of time, persistence and determination
until your goals are achieved.
Because of this, I recommend that when you set a goal, you
thoroughly understand and examine what is required in order reach that goal,
and make sure that you are willing and able to align your life in such a way as
to be able to do the things necessary to achieve that goal. This is where an experienced and
knowledgeable coach can come in. They
can tell you the things that will be necessary in order to achieve your goals
and then help you establish your plan and help you do them.
I am in no way judging anyone’s goals, desires, life
restrictions or willingness or ability to do certain things. Those are all very personal things. I am simply encouraging people to know and
understand their hard constraints in terms of what they have time and desire to
do, and make sure that their goals fit within these constraints.
While aligning your life with your goals does not assure
that you will achieve them, it does give you a fighting chance. It will likely take time, and healthy dosages
of persistence and determination, but
then that is what makes achieving them so special.
Happy Running,
Coach Mark Hadley
