Run at Your Potential

I talked with a talented runner once who was tortured by the pressure of living up to his potential.

He felt that if winning, running a fast time or setting a record was within his grasp, he should.

So he felt compelled to push everything, even as it became increasingly obvious that wasn’t sustainable.

The race that made him call me was perfect on paper…but like more and more of them, not fun. He needed to re-think his approach to his potential before burnout moved him further away from it than ever.

Like this runner, we usually accept the common assumption that you either work hard and reach your potential as an ultrarunner…or you’re a failure.

But that isn’t true.

If you want other ways of seeing your potential, consider the following six:

1. Potential isn’t out of reach - you already have it.

As the Sufi poet Rumi says, it isn’t outside you - it’s something you automatically have.

“You were born with potential.
You were born with goodness and trust. You were born with ideals and dreams. You were born with greatness.
You were born with wings.
You are not meant for crawling, so don't.
You have wings.
Learn to use them and fly.”

2. Potential isn’t a point to reach - it’s limitless possibility.

You can’t actually reach your mythical “full” potential - you get to keep reaching for more.

And you also can’t fail at potential, since there’s always more.

3. Potential isn’t a test of worthiness you have to live up to - it’s there for you to explore and enjoy.

It exists purely for the pleasure of it…and you’re allowed to enjoy it.

Think of it as a playground. Wouldn’t it be fun to see what you can do in this race or that?

4. Potential isn’t just about how far you think you are from reaching it - its also about  how far you’ve come.

The success and growth you’ve achieved so far are past possibilities you made real.

Don’t focus so intently on the gap in what you haven’t yet achieved that you miss what you’ve gained.

Because if you can turn those past possibilities into reality, imagine what more you can do in the future.

5. Potential isn’t just your race time or place - it’s more about your capacity to experience the race.

We think we want a great race time and place because that’s what running to your potential delivers.

But what reaching into your potential really creates is how “on” we feel.

That “on-ness” and aliveness are what we really want when we talk about potential.

So try focusing on the experience.

6. Potential isn’t limited to a peak race or perfect circumstances - you’re expanding it today, in every moment and every run.

The deep satisfaction of feeling strong, solving problems, and doing what you committed to do all happens in daily runs and smaller races too.

Even on a bad run, the way you show up for yourself grows your potential to handle race lows.

It all adds up.

So now when you feel the pressure of living up to your potential, you have six ways to re-think it that set you up for a longer, better feeling - and more successful - ultrarunning life.

And if you want help freeing yourself from the pressure of potential and anything else that sucks the joy out of running, use this link to set up a consult call and let’s talk it though.