“…if it should really manifest -- if there ever came an echo that did not die away but swelled into the sound itself -- you would know it. Beyond all possibility of doubt, you would say "Here, at last, is the thing I was made for". - From C.S Lewis, The Problem of Pain
I spent a good number of years worrying if I was doing the right thing - is this where I should be? Am I living up to my potential? Is this the work I truly love to do? Even before I graduated from college, I found myself wondering if engineering was the right thing? As I walked through the next 5 years after graduation I did more wandering and by the time I was in my late 20’s I had only a glimpse of walking in my purpose.
When we started Lifelong Endurance, we did it because we loved the work. Katie and I both knew intimately that coaching was more than a job, it had a certain X factor that allowed us to make an impact and get payed for the results we got, the lives we changed, and the problem we solved. What we didn’t know from the start was what we were truly selling.
Don’t get me wrong, we knew that we were selling our services as coaches. Selling our knowledge of physiology, our experience, to elicit better results.What we didn’t know from the beginning was that people buy for results and knowledge only a small portion of the time. They choose you as a coach because of who you are, and what you bring to their world. They also buy you for what you carry, this can be your pain or your joy - neither one more fit to lead with.
By 31, I still lacked a firm grasp on what I was selling. I had glimpses of it, and I’m proud of what I have done with athletes since we started Lifelong Endurance. What I know now is that my clients buy into 1 of 3 things: 1) my intimate understanding of struggle and the knowledge I gained losing 80 pounds, 2) My understanding and firm grasp on a runner’s physiological and psychological needs, 3) Empathy and redirection from the negative belief(s) they hold of themselves. I have learned that everyone brings something different to the table - we can all have the same knowledge, education, and background and we can all get results with what we do. It’s about how we deliver the product, how we make an impact to our clients that truly make us unique.
My story is all about overcoming and understanding how capable and strong people are even when they feel like are completely incapable. It made me think a lot about Macklemore’s song 10,000 hours - he’s not my favorite but his lyric rings true here.
The greats weren't great because at birth they could paint
The greats were great 'cause they paint a lot
Paint a lot, fail often, and get really good at living with your final product. How does a painter know when he's done? How are they satisfied? Can't they see all of the imperfections? Can't they see a million little places to make the piece better? Their biggest contribution isn't in painting a masterpiece - it's the contribution they made to the art world. Someone found something in their work that spoke to them and others - this is why we know VanGogh, Basquiat, and Keith Harring.
So what then do I sell? I sell joy, happiness, and the sense of accomplishment that comes with committing to a goal, achieving it, and setting a bigger one the next day. I also sell the resistance of mediocrity, self fulfillment, and above all seeing the work to the very end. I didn’t give up when
Helping adults and young people look at the bigger picture (that they are drawing for themselves), break down the steps and value excellence. I hold people accountable and teach them how to remove obstacles and grow into and towards the best version of themselves. This allows them to replicate the results and follow through with the basic proactive steps to achieve their future vision.
We can go out into this world, make mistakes and become the best version of ourselves. We can also teach others how to grow while we are in process ourselves. If we only wait until we are a masterpiece, we will never learn to enjoy the masterpieces we make along the way.