“Don’t let fear stop you from getting off the starting block”
Lessons learnt from my two coaches today
Many times we hold back from doing something because we fear failure
– of not completing what we set out to do.
Of disappointing someone
Of disappointing ourselves
It’s been nearly 4 weeks since I went for a run.
This morning as I set out and pulled up my app, I was dithering over which one I should do:
Should I go back to basics and restart?
Should I start with a beginner run and ease back into the rhythm and build up?
I haven’t run in so long.
Surely I cannot jump back into where I left off.
There is no way I can do the longer runs that I was doing last month.
And as I was internally debating this, I was simultaneously listening to my business coach
talk about separating fact from thoughts and perceptions.
And I realized that although the fact was that I hadn’t run in 4 weeks,
my thoughts that because of that I wouldn’t be able to run distance were just thoughts.
How could they be a fact? I had not tried to run yet.
These were just the thoughts in my head before I even started.
How I chose to interpret the fact of not having run for 4 weeks was up to me.
I could choose the thoughts that said I could not do a long run,
or I could choose the thoughts that said I could give it a try any way.
So I set myself up for a 5 K run on my app,
the first time for this particular one.
Sometimes the universe knows what you need before you even know it.
The running coach on the App started with the premise of Fear and running Fear LESS.
Of acknowledging the fear athletes have at the starting line
Of the unknown
Of not knowing if they will be able to complete the race
Of not knowing if they will be able to do it in the best time
And of taking that first step any way
He defined Fear from the dictionary definition:
Fear: an unpleasant emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger
Notice that it is caused by ‘anticipation’ not actuality.
And even though I didn’t necessarily think I was fearful, when I thought about it further, yes, it was fear.
That I would get tired sooner than before
That I would have to give up.
And as I thought it through, I realized it was fear of disappointing myself.
More thoughts not based in reality.
What if I celebrated whatever distance or time I managed today and let go of that fear?
And so as I ran, I listened to both these coaches
When at 16 minutes in and 2 K I was winded
When I took walk breaks
When I couldn’t complete the distance
Right about the time the running coach was talking about
how so many times the run we set out for turns into something else
Goes in a different direction
Ends up taking you somewhere new
And how starting points are not just for races
But in life how many starting points we have every day
When we leave for work
When we start a project
When we take on a challenge
When we are facing something new
And to acknowledge the fear we feel
And still take that first step
Of that project at work where you know you will be good at but you fear you don’t know enough and worry someone else would do it better
So you never volunteer
Of that situation where you know you should speak up but you fear embarrassing yourself and so you don’t
Of that position you know you would be great at but you fear you will have to sacrifice your family time, and so you don’t, without even finding out what the time commitment is.
I did not complete the entire 5K run today.
I took breaks
I stopped completely by 3.5 K in and walked
But I celebrated the fact that I did try something new
That I did not let my fear hold me back
That I took that first step.
And that I could separate out my facts from my perceptions and thoughts.
What has FEAR held you back from?
And has it been real or just your perception of a circumstance?
What if you could acknowledge the fear and still get off that starting block??
