A fulfilled life is about building a lifestyle around our specific goals, with strategies, habits and a mindset that promote holistic growth in the process rather than simply checking dreams off on our vision boards. This is because who we can become in the journey of achieving our goals is far more important than attaining these goals. In other words, the real growth is in the journey rather than the final destination. This is what my recent experience of doing several long races reminded me of. While the final goal -to attain or not this year or in the future – is that of running my first marathon, the long runs have taught me a lot … Whether I ultimately complete a marathon or not, this year or into the future, is becoming secondary consideration. So, what have this journey of long races taught me to date?

• Life itself is a series of races – sprints at some times and long distance at other times. Be it in the personal or professional spheres, change and movement are constant and the secret is to find balance, just like riding a bike. The more we are attuned to these various cycles of movements, and know when to go for speed vs distance, the more resilient and driven we become.
• No one can run our own race. The moment the clock starts, our race begins. And we can keep going, one mile at a time until the race is done or give up. There is no shortcut to the finish line – responsibility, discipline and pragmatism are required in all our personal and professional endeavors to get to the finish line of our own dreams and aspirations.
• To attempt something we have never done, it will likely require doing something we haven’t done. While I was able to get by with minimum stretches and warm-up sessions in prior race seasons, to attempt to run a marathon requires taking care of my body and paying attention to it, in ways I haven’t done it before. New strategies, new routines and new ways of thinking are likely necessary when we strive to reach new horizons.
• Endurance and perseverance are a muscle to grow. A long race is always conquered one mile at a time – towards the first half and then against the other half. Building endurance one mile at a time on a course is building endurance in life in general because we get used to discomfort or simply sustaining focus on a particular task.
• There is an end to celebrate. Often times in life, we forget to mark an end to an experience, a chapter, a win that took hard work and dedication…. A race has always an end … followed by a few days of recovery and rest. This is a good habit to build in life to be not only present in the moment, but also compassionate and supportive of ourselves and these around us who run their own races.
• Acknowledging our multiple needs and passions is the path to acceptance, fulfillment and joy. While running for me is embracing the inner child, excited about running around outdoors, I am yearning for more – other activities, achievements, and hobbies … We are complex human beings with multiple needs as a way of self-expression in this life. The more self-aware we become about our needs and desires, the more we spend our time and energy in meaningful and life-giving ways.

When we embrace the journey of attaining goals and dreams, rather than the pressure of reaching them, we stop chasing dreams that are not ours … and we start living for ourselves, a lifestyle conducive to genuine learning, growth and fulfillment.

“Run your race, and the rest of your life will fall into place.” – Unknown

For a practical application of this journeying concept, while you think about your own dreams and goals, what is it that you are learning in the process? What is the experience to progress towards these goals teaching you? What types of skills, soft or hard, are you building or in need of building? What do you need to do more of or less of? Who can help or inspire you on this journey? What milestones do you need to reach to attain your ultimate goals? Take some time to reflect on these questions and make the journeying the focus! When we grow, we are more likely to reach goals we set for ourselves, and we are opening ourselves up to new opportunities.