You’ve probably already started, to keep on going.
I’ve had a couple of conversations lately about starting. In these instances, it hasn’t really been about starting, it’s been about readjusting the course.
When running a sprint, the start is crucial. If you don’t get it right, you might not be able to win the race. The start gives you such a leverage in the race that follows that you need to get it right.
When running long distance, the start is something very different. It’s not about when the gun goes off or about a signal. It’s about the first kilometre or something like that, depending on how far you’re going to run. You don’t need to get the sound of the pistol by the milli second, but you need to make sure that you’re up to pace after a couple of hundred meters.
When we talk about starts, we’re usually locked in to the thought model of a sprint. It’s a bang, and if we miss it, there won’t be time to catch up. The thing is, there is very rarely a bang. There isn’t really a visible finishing line. You might even question whether or not you’re running a race, depending on what area of life we’re talking about.
The point is, you’ve got time, and you’ve already started running. Sometimes a bit slower, sometimes faster. Sometimes even in the wrong direction. But you’re in the race.
Starting something like “being kind to myself” isn’t really a start. It’s something that you’re going to continue, and possibly focus on a bit more. But you’ve been kind to yourself at some point in your life. You’ve already started, even by the sprinting standards.
Let’s start talking about readjusting our course. Or paying more attention to things. Or prioritising. But let’s stop the “I’m going to start!”. Because when you fail to sprint, it’s not going to be as sensational.
