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An inch?  A very small distance right?  Place your thumb and your pointer finger a distance apart that represents an inch.   This distance sums it up in terms of the difference between success and failure.  One little inch.  Two days ago I was running on my treadmill and trying to run a marathon (26.2 miles).  At about mile 6, I was thinking, I’m tired and just don’t feel like running anymore.  But I told myself, just keep running and don’t stop.  Just keep running an inch at a time.   After running for a few more seconds and a few more inches, things started to change in my mind and body.  I started feeling better and before I knew it (an hours later), I was finished with my run.  I had exceeded my goal by 3 miles.  I had run 29 miles.   Now if I had not run that one more inch…..when I was feeling bad at mile 6, the run would have been over and I would not be enjoying the endorphins and the feeling of accomplishment from such a long run.

Life is about inches.  How often do we give up on our goals and dreams when success is just an inch away…….how often do we give up getting fit, learning to play an instrument, making our relationships better, doing better in a particular class in school because it gets difficult?  If we just stay in the game for a few more inches or a little while longer, we may have succeeded instead of accepting defeat.

An inch is not very far……………so don’t give up on what really is important to you when you feel like quitting.  Go one more inch….then another…..then another……….all those inches added up are the difference between winning and losing………between getting what you want or not getting anything at all………….between living or not living your dreams.

Ignore the critics.  Live your dreams!

Halloween was a few days ago.   A week before Halloween my two kids were talking about how their costumes were not that great and how their friends’s costumes were going to be something special.   I told them that anyone could go to the store and buy a fancy costume or get someone to make them an extravagant costume.

I continued that to be truly unique in life is not a function of the clothes you wear or how long you wear your hair.   To be truly great and unique involves doing something different and better than others NOT wearing something different like a costume.   My son said, “like making good grades in school?”   Exactly.

Anyone can get a crazy haircut or buy something at a store to be different.  But very few are willing to work hard at developing a unique skill or product or service.    Remember, true uniqueness can’t be bought.

Ignore the critics.  Live your dreams!

Today I set a personal best for running.  I ran 33 miles today.   Why?  Good question.  My simple answer is “because I can”.   I woke up needing a challenge today and I got on a treadmill.   Many hours later, I had set a personal record for miles on a treadmill at one time.   Some may call me crazy, odd, sick, obsessed.   Perhaps the labels fit.  Perhaps not.  I’d like to call myself driven, focused, and determined.

Some people need “event goals” to run every day and to stay motivated.  I run for the pure enjoyment and challenge each day…..not to train for some future event.  I call it “goal less” running.

Now back to today’s run.   It was not planned, it just happened…….I started running and the further I ran, the closer I got to a personal record and I told myself I was too close to stop.

My question to you is “what challenge will you conquer today”?  Perhaps it’s not 33 miles running but maybe something that you know you can do but you just have not found the time or courage to do.    Running a certain distance?  Quitting something that is not good for you?   Starting something new?  Ending something old?   Perhaps my personal record today will motivate you to accomplish your personal challenge?  I sure hope so!

Ignore the critics.  Live your dreams!