6 Years ago I decided to run my first ever marathon. At the time I had never run more than 5 miles and even then it was over 25 years before, but I took the time, I put the miles in and I was successful, and I even went on to run a further 10 marathons.
Yesterday I was running a half marathon, which given all of the above I was convinced was going to be easy, a walk in the park, a gentle run with the chance to see some beautiful scenery.
Well, that right there was complacency talking.
Running a half marathon is never easy, and if you just believe you can turn up and do it you’re kidding yourself.
I have no clue what it was that gave me that false impression, especially as I had only just restarted training after a year of not running.
It was ego, it was muscle memory, it was arrogance talking and whilst I thought it was going to be easy it turned out to be anything but.
I disrespected the distance, I didn’t do enough training and as a result, I ran one of the worst races I have ever run.
So I write this as a reminder, mostly to myself, but also to share it with others.
We cannot take success for granted, no matter how much previous success we have had.
Success has to be earned, it doesn’t just fall into our laps because we want it to, you have to put in the effort if you want the results.
And what surprises me most is that I know this.
I am not the most talented of people and it has been hard work that has got me everything I have ever achieved and yet I too fell into the complacency trap.
There is a simple fact of life that we need to remember.
Hard work delivers success, complacency delivers nothing but heartache and regret.
If you want to be successful then you have to plan, you have to prepare and put in the effort, there are no shortcuts.
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