What if what you’re seeking is just around the corner? What if all of the work you’ve been putting in up to this point accounts for 98% of what it takes to reach that next breakthrough, and you’re just a few steps away? And what if, despite that, you can’t see it yet and so you decide to stop?

I had a particularly rough training run on Sunday. It was cold and wet, I was tired and my body hurt, and I was in a bad headspace that left me feeling defeated and sorry for myself. It wasn’t my best showing, but because of the nature of trail running, I was stuck with no option but to move forward -- I couldn’t exactly sit down in the middle of the woods and say “I quit,” despite how much I wanted to. And, sure enough, I turned a (literal) corner and things changed. It was still cold and wet, but I had a little boost of energy, things didn’t hurt so bad, and my mindset shifted. I don’t honestly know why. Sometimes it’s the nature of the beast that persistence, and particularly persistence when things are the hardest and seem most burdensome, is the very thing that takes you to that next step. And very often, that big change is just around the corner.

It’s easier when you’re on a long trail run, because you don’t have a choice. But in all other walks of life, this is perhaps the hardest and most pivotal choice to make: when it gets hard and you can’t see what’s around the corner, do you keep going, or call it quits?

I don’t think there’s ever an easy answer to this question, and sometimes you’ll miss the mark, and that’s okay. Sometimes you’ll keep going and nothing will change (yet). Sometimes you’ll keep going and find that you’ve been on the wrong path all along.

But it’d be a real tragedy to decide to call it quits when change is just around the corner, wouldn’t it?

- PS

11/9/17

• Double KB bent over row - 3x8

Then...

• 4 rounds

• In 90s

• 100m sprint

• AMRAP KB C&P (106/70)

• Rest 90s