While I was exercising one day in the gym, I noticed a young man playing basketball by himself. From a talent point of view, he was dreadful. He made few baskets, that is he had trouble getting the ball to go into the basket. Sometimes, from the three point line, a certain distance from the basket, he could not reach the basket. He was not a small child. He was a teen, at least, with terrible shooting form as well. He just kept playing. I realized that he was at "play," not at "performance." If he were trying to perform well, that is successfully get the ball into the basket most of the time, he would have been miserable and probably given up, gone home feeling badly about himself, a failure, a loser. But he was simply at play which requires no goal of success. Basketball in itself was enough for him to do. I will try to keep that in mind the next time I am at something and am feeling miserable. What was my motive in the first place? I will try it with running.
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Yes, power is made perfect in weakness.
ReplyDeleteSounds to malice to plan to be dreadful at running when you start up and you're looking for ways to justify a "less than" outcome.
ReplyDeleteRunning for the joy of running should be enough - always.
Find your inner 4 year old - focus on the air rushing past your ears, the coolness of the breeze on your skin, the way your legs keep rhythm with the road beneath them. Rejoice in your senses appreciation of the moment.