"The flesh is willing. It is the spirit that is most often weak." - Dr. George Sheehan
These shoes rocked it today.
It was cold, but sunny. A mild wind, but mostly at my back. When I set out, I didn't want to run. My will was crazy weak. But next Thursday, I cross another "something new" off my list - the Berbee Derby Thanksgiving Day run - and it's a 10K. Not my first 6-miler, but it's my first time at this race and I don't want to be unprepared.
I couldn't blow off yet another run because I'd have to bundle up. Or because I don't have time.
I've written before about my struggle with discipline. Running doesn't just suffer from this personal malady; other things in my life fall victim to my free-spirit self colliding with my determined self. And by "free-spirit self," I generally mean my "avoidance self" but the former sounds better than the latter.
Sometimes I am just not feeling it.
I read this great article this week that made me more aware of a probable cause of my lack of momentum at times: No enthusiasm.
"It is from a lack of enthusiasm that the failures of the spirit multiply during the day. ... To succeed at anything, you need passion. You have to be a bit of a fanatic. If you would move anyone to action, you must first be moved yourself." - Dr. George Sheehan
Holy truth, Batman.
The article goes on to explain how we all seem to have this passion as kids, then tend to lose it as we grow and embrace the "herd mentality," learning herd rules and herd regulations. As we get older, we grow confidently in our ability to leave the herd behind. The author points out that many people seem to walk away in their '50s and '60s, but there are the lucky ones who edge out on their own at much younger ages. They find their unique path before their twilight years.
And that's the tug I've been feeling for awhile now. What about you? What areas of your life could use a kick in the pants? What passions are you letting simmer, when they could boil over into something great with a little attention?
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