This weekend I was in Louisville to watch my younger daughter do a full Ironman – 2 mi. swim, 112 mile biking and 26.2 miles (full marathon) running.

It all started with a little competition. For those of you who have been in my time mgmt. seminars, you will recall me telling the story of her older sister running her first marathon when it came to Phoenix. Not that I think this is pure “I have to beat my sister”, but I know it started with “If she can do it, I can do it!” and so both girls ran marathons.

I am amazed and truly admire my younger daughter for setting such a high goal to run a full Ironman. It started with a little competition that she created in her mind. (Her sister never ran another one – the goal was just to run one.) Then she took it step by step: First she ran a half marathon, then a full, then a triathalon, to a half Ironman and now a full Ironman. In fact at the very end when she was really exhausted, what carried her in was a 62-year old man who said to her, “Are you going to let a 62-year old man beat you?” And with that she ran the last few miles to the finish line along with him. Another little competition! She finished in 14 hours and 4 minutes around 9pm after starting at 7am. Now that was a tremendous goal!!!

What goals do you want to reach/achieve? Would a little competition help you achieve it? Does it need to be with someone else, or like my daughter, can you just compete with yourself?

Now go out and achieve it!

Happy a happy Labor Day.

Print