Two Things A Person Cannot Do

Two things a person cannot do it make you quit, and slow down time.

I’m not sure where I heard this quote but it made sense. It was quite timely actually.

If you read my blog entries you’ll know I can be quite reflective. I often look back on time and experience, more so for understanding and learning than anything else.

Something I reflect on with pride is my accomplishments in endurance sport. Running in particular but endurance sport in general. From half and full marathons to 50km, 100km & 100 mile ultra marathons. From multi day, multi stage adventure races, completing 100km unbroken on an indoor rower and to all my off grid adventures with my mates.

In preparation for and during these endurance events I always find myself leaning on these little mantra and metaphors to get me through and I have always found running to be the most perfect metaphor for life.

Running is fucking hard, but if you continue putting one foot in front of the other, eventually the pain will subside and you will end up where you are meant to be.

I think the title of this entry is just another way to look at the above. When running, or life is hard, it is only you that has control over the decision to quit. No one can force you. And if you don’t quit, time will not slow down or stop. If you don’t quit, you will inevitably succeed at best and at worst it won’t hurt anymore.

Easier said than done right?

How often do we justify quitting something prematurely? I bet there is at least one instance you can reflect on where in hindsight you wished you could have or would have hung on a little longer, or gave it just one more shot.

Referring back to running and endurance sport, I seem to have quite a bull-headed mentality where the harder it is the more I lean into it and the more satisfaction I get. Quite masochistic I know.

Where as I find it hard to implement or unlock the same mindset sometimes in life. In fairness some of my life experiences have been significantly harder emotionally than physically.

I guess that’s where the difference lies.

Emotional hardship and pain vs physical hardship and pain.

Regardless, the same principal applies. There two things a person cannot do is make you quit, and slow down time.

So don’t quit.